Harrison brings message of hope to Eagles for Life
Pam Harrison knows how quickly life can change.
The 66-year-old Meridianite spent more than three decades working at Meridian Community College before retiring in 2022. Now, after facing breast cancer, she's sharing her story as an ambassador for MCC's new Eagles for Life event, set for 6-9:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the MCC soccer field and track.
The event, which will include a community walk, an Umbrella Strut for survivors, a children’s fun run, live music, concessions, and luminaries, celebrates survivors, supports those currently fighting cancer, honors caregivers, and remembers those who have passed away.
A year after her diagnosis, Harrison hopes her story reminds others that fear doesn't have to have the final word.
"Always hold on to hope," she said. "Hope for treatments. Hope for surgeries. And know that God is still in control."
Harrison's cancer journey began in August 2025, when she found a large lump in her breast six months after a clean mammogram. Another mammogram, an ultrasound, and needle biopsy quickly followed. Her radiologist seemed very concerned. Harrison told her that she doesn’t worry until she has something to worry about.
"She looked me in the face and said, 'You have something to worry about. I think you have invasive lobular carcinoma,'" Harrison said. At that point, the radiologist asked her what surgeon she wanted to use.
A biopsy was inconclusive, but a lumpectomy showed ductal carcinoma in situ, or DCIS, but doctors couldn't get clear margins. The next step was a mastectomy.
"Hearing that a mastectomy is the next step was a shock," Harrison said.
The final diagnosis was DCIS, often called stage 0 breast cancer. Clear margins and cancer-free lymph nodes meant she would not need chemotherapy or radiation. It was a relief, though losing a breast still carried weight. "For any woman, the idea of a mastectomy is devastating," she said. "It affects how you see yourself. There is also a feeling that your body is betraying you."
Harrison said she learned to cope by choosing gratitude and leaning on others. Her husband, Joel, stood by and encouraged her through diagnosis, surgery, and recovery. “He has always been my confidant, my best friend, and my rock,” Harrison said about Joel, adding, “I cannot find the words to express the amount of support he has given me this past year.”
Others, including family, friends, and church members, offered calls, texts, meals, and encouragement. One friend who went the extra mile for her was Pam Vayda. “Having a medical background, she took the time to come and sit with me for hours on my front porch and explain test results and provide clarifications about medical procedures. This meant a lot to me,” she said.
"Never doubt how much just asking someone how they are doing can mean to someone," Harrison said.
Above all, Harrison credits her faith. "When you have a real relationship with the God of all things, you do not walk through tough times in life alone."
After her mastectomy, Harrison traveled to the Center for Restorative Breast Surgery in New Orleans for DIEP reconstruction and has completed two stages. “These surgeries require a caregiver, and Joel was that caregiver for me. Caregivers who provide the assistance needed during and following any medical surgery are key to your recovery,” Harrison added.
"It has difficult moments, but the outcome is worth it," she said. "We have more courage than we realize when we are called upon to step up to the plate."
"As we get older, we learn how short life here is," she said. "Yet, there is hope.”
Harrison's ties to MCC run deep. A graduate of Mississippi University for Women, she joined MCC as an auditor in the late 1980s, was hired as director of financial aid in 1991 and became business manager in 1993, staying connected to the college until her 2022 retirement. Her husband and son, Luke, are also MCC graduates.
For more information, visit meridiancc.edu/eaglesforlife.