Eagles for Life Ambassador Vicki Lockhart keeps moving forward
Cancer changed Vicki Lockhart’s life three times, but it never stopped her from living
it.
Her first diagnosis came in 1985, when she was a young wife and mother with a son who was almost 4. More than 40 years later, Lockhart is cancer-free and sharing her story as an ambassador for Meridian Community College's Eagles for Life fundraiser.
That story now brings her to Eagles for Life, set for Saturday, Sept. 26, at the MCC soccer field and track. The event grew out of MCC's former Race for Life and Street Strut for Breast Cancer, and expands the focus to all cancers. It will celebrate survivors, support those in treatment, honor caregivers, and remember those who have died.
Lockhart, 72, lives in Lauderdale and graduated from MCC in 1973.
Her cancer journey began when she found a lump in her breast near the end of 1984. With the holidays approaching, she put off seeing a doctor.
"And then I finally went," she said.
Her doctor first suspected a cyst because Lockhart was young, but tests and a biopsy showed otherwise.
"In my mind, I knew it was cancer," she said.
Lockhart had a mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. Treatment took a toll; she became sick, endured weekly needle sticks, and lost her hair. "That will hit you quickly when you've had long hair, and it's gone," she said.
Six months of treatment stretched to nearly a year because of problems with her blood levels.
Cancer also forced her to face a harder question: what would happen to her son if she did not survive? She found peace in knowing her husband, Benny, and her mother would care for him.
"I realized at the first diagnosis that I could not fix this or control it," she said. "This is when God steps in if we let Him."
Faith, family, friends, and coworkers carried her through treatment. Lockhart, who had always been independent, learned to accept help.
"I had to learn to lean on others, and they were my comfort," she said.
Cancer returned in 1996, this time in her other breast. Lockhart again had a mastectomy and chemotherapy, but medical care had changed in the 11 years since her first diagnosis. A medical port reduced the number of needle sticks, and new medicines helped control nausea.
"Everything was different," she said.
She faced cancer a third time in 2008, when she diagnosed with uterine cancer. Surgery removed it, and she did not need chemotherapy. She has been cancer-free ever since.
"It's quite a journey," she said.
Lockhart still sees her doctors for regular checkups, and those visits bring some worry but also peace of mind. The experience has made her a strong advocate for cancer screenings and regular checkups.
"Anybody can get cancer," she said.
She encourages people to perform self-exams, get recommended screenings, and see a doctor when something doesn't seem right.
"Do not ignore warning signs," she said.
Cancer is only one part of Lockhart's story. She has worked at Airgas for 52 years and is still working. She and Benny have been married for 47 years. Their son, Ben, is married to Amanda, and the couple has two daughters, June and Lucy. Lockhart calls her granddaughters her heart and her purpose for living. She also enjoys reading and traveling.
Lockhart knows cancer can change a life without warning. But she also knows a diagnosis doesn't have to be the end of the story.
"I'm healthy now," she said. "It was not a death sentence for me. I've lived a happy life, no regrets."
For more information, visit meridiancc.edu/eaglesforlife.