Taymecca Harper Sears: Faith, family as her foundation in fight against breast cancer
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To focus on this disease that affects both women and men, Meridian Community College will host the Queen City Race for Life and Street Strut on Saturday, Oct. 19, beginning at 8 a.m. on the MCC Track. The event pays tribute to breast cancer survivors, increases breast cancer awareness, and raises funds for the Baptist Anderson Cancer Patient Benevolence Fund.
Three ambassadors for the race are to be honored this year: Pam Mosley, Taymecca Sears, and Tom Bradshaw. Mosley and Sears are breast cancer survivors; Bradshaw was his wife's caregiver. All expressed their faith as instrumental in their journeys.
Taymecca Harper Sears lives her life focusing on faith, family, and perseverance.
This 50-year-old wife, mother, and grandmother finds her strength in her family and faith as she navigates through some of life's difficult battles – including that of enduring breast cancer.
Sears discovered a lump in her breast when she performed a self-check while showering. "I had previously had a good mammogram in March 2019, and I found the lump in November 2019," she said. Her diagnosis: Stage 1 breast cancer.
"I was anxious and afraid, but overshadowed with the peace of God as my diagnosis and treatment plan were given to me."
Her treatment included a lumpectomy, six rounds of chemotherapy, and a bilateral mastectomy. "There was a nodule found in the tissue of the other breast that had not turned into cancer yet," she remembered.
"Thank God for the doctor's plan of care," she added.
Even as she courageously shaved her head preparing for treatment, Sears appreciated the beauty behind the hair and makeup.
Now a five-year cancer survivor, Sears is committed to helping others. She is the chief executive officer, founder, and patient representative of LCF Group Inc. In this organization, Sears assists patients who come into the hospital without insurance and very little or no income to pay for their hospital visits or medication. "LCF Group has helped hundreds to move from homeless to a place they can call home; no income to income; no health insurance to insurance," she said.
Sears, who has been employed at Meridian Public School District for 12 years as a data processor, is also the CEO and founder of Classy and Covered Chics LLC.
"I am grateful for every moment of life that God has gracefully given," Sears said. "My family was my strong support of prayer, faith, praise, and encouragement."
Sears is first lady of East Jerusalem MB Church, where she serves alongside her husband, Pastor Timothy Terrell Sears Sr., as a teacher, praise team leader, youth ministry coordinator, drama ministry, and women's ministry leader. She is the mother of Atalya Bianca Everett (Phillip Everett Jr.) and Timothy Terrell Sears Jr. (Carlissa Sears). She is "Mimi" to four grandchildren: Paxton, Kingston, Jalayla, and Jhalil.
The Sears have been married for 30 years.
Encouraging others to get yearly mammograms – and do self-checks, Sears added, "Early detection can definitely save your life and decrease some treatment time."
For more information, visit meridiancc.edu/streetstrut.