Bonita Newby’s cancer journey is one marked by challenges but also one of hope, endurance, resilience and faith. 

Just days before she was diagnosed with endometrial ovarian cancer in 2022, her son Joshua, was in a life-altering car accident. Prior to that, the 68-year-old Spartanburg woman was hospitalized with COVID for two weeks and left with long-term health challenges. 

Navigating a season of difficulty and uncertainty with her own son’s health and newfound limitations, her cancer diagnosis was another roadblock. Yet her doctors and care team provided a sense of calm and stability. 

“Even though it was one of the worst things you could experience, I had such peace about it,” she said.  

Even the scheduler put her mind at ease when she called and explained that she had the same cancer diagnosis as Newby and went through a successful treatment plan 20 years ago.  

“This is how I knew God was with me the whole time,” Newby said. 

Her OB/GYN Dr. Robert Goodlett made it a priority for Newby to get in for a biopsy and helped her navigate challenges while caring for her son at the same time. She then went through a series of hospitalizations resulting from urinary tract infections before gynecologic oncologist Dr. Carlton Schwab could perform surgery. 

In the United States, around 84,000 new cases of gynecologic cancer are diagnosed, and 28,000 women die from the disease each year, according to the National Institutes of Health. 

After Newby was deemed cancer-free, she underwent chemotherapy and radiation as a sort of “insurance policy” in case any cancer cells had migrated to other parts of her body, she said. 

Newby completed her last round of radiation in October 2023, one year after first discovering her cancer symptoms. 

Since then, she has enjoyed her life and views every day like a blessing. She has found meaning in sharing her story and encouraging others who are navigating their own cancer journeys. 

In addition, Newby’s son made a miraculous recovery and can manage basic life skills independently. The two are now inseparable and do chores and run errands together. 

She said the blessings are in everyday moments, you just have to open your eyes to see them. 

“What kept me going was my faith. Every time there was a roadblock, God opened the door,” she said. “I had to trust the process, and that’s what I’m still doing.”