Harrison, Ark. hospital hosting Breast Cancer Day of Giving

HARRISON, Ark. (KY3) - North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) hosts a One Day Giving Day for Breast Cancer Awareness on Saturday.

The event is a partnership with 23 local businesses, each dedicated at least 10% of proceeds from the one day to go back to cancer research and services.

“When you come in here and find out you have cancer, it’s scary,” said Kim Rosson, Director of Marketing with NARMC. “All that money that we have and raise for cancer goes for all those different things because it is very expensive, so anything we can do to help offset some of that.”

Proceeds go towards efforts to help the hospital and patients themselves.

“You know some of the patients don’t live here in Harrison, and a lot of them, just because of the gas prices, can be very expensive,” said Rosson. “So one thing we do is offer gas cards to help them get over to get treatment. Because you know, if you have treatment for six weeks every day, it’s going to be expensive.”

All to help those battling cancer find themselves in the same position as Jennifer Bixler, cancer free.

“Yes, I go in multiple times a year now for checkups but have been cancer free since 2021,” said Bixler

In the fall of 2020, Bixler, like the rest of us, was battling through the struggles of a global pandemic. That was soon to change when she noticed something abnormal about her body.

“Probably October or November of 2020, I felt a lump in my right breast, and I talked to my scheduled a mammogram,” she said. “Went in, and they did identify a suspicious area, and so I went ahead and had a biopsy at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center.”

It was at that appointment her suspicions were confirmed. Her battle began with a biopsy followed by surgeries, then radiation treatment as doctors determined the cancer was in her lymph nodes.

“They removed five lymph nodes, and two of the five were positive for cancer. So they recommended radiation,” said Bixler

Not wanting to travel for treatment, Bixler was able to undergo radiation at the Claude Parrish Cancer Center in Harrison. After more than two months of radiation, she was cancer free.

“Well, it was challenging for sure, but I had a lot of support: family, friends, coworkers,” said Bixler. “Support and God too. Gotta mention God because he had a hand in it.”

Bixler said her battle with breast cancer grew her relationship with her children. She says the support from family and friends helps her through her battle and seeing that support reflected in the community is only more encouraging.

CLICK HERE to see a full list of participating businesses.

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