Angela Caraway – Cancer Survivor
We first met Angela back in 2017, just after she had finished treatment for Stage III colorectal cancer. Her life had changed dramatically following her diagnosis in 2015, and like so many women facing cancer, she went into survival mode—focusing on treatment, pushing fear aside, and doing whatever it took to keep moving forward.
She arrived for her first treatment wearing a shirt that read “Take One for the Team,” determined to stay strong even on the hardest days. But beneath that strength was fear, uncertainty, and the overwhelming reality of suddenly finding herself in a cancer clinic.
For months, Angela did what many survivors do: she put her emotions on the shelf so she could focus on getting through treatment. The appointments, the scans, the unknowns—survival became the priority.
What she didn’t realize at the time was that those emotions hadn’t disappeared.
“The feelings weren’t gone,” Angela shared. “They were waiting.”
About a year after treatment ended, anxiety, sadness, and fear surfaced in ways she didn’t expect. After all, she had survived cancer. Shouldn’t she just feel grateful and relieved? Instead, Angela learned something many survivors experience but don’t always talk about: survivorship is about more than getting through treatment. The emotional side of cancer can continue long after the appointments end.
Through community, support, and honest conversations with other survivors, Angela began to understand that what she was feeling was normal—and that she didn’t have to navigate it alone.
Today, Angela serves as mayor of her hometown in North Carolina and uses her experience to encourage others facing cancer and chronic illness. She’s also been a longtime supporter of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, helping create spaces rooted in support, connection, and hope for survivors.
Her story is a reminder that survivorship is strength. It’s continuing to move forward, even when the journey looks different than expected. And it’s knowing that no one should have to face cancer alone.