Karen and Andre Wynn never expected to hear the word cancer and especially not at the same time in their lives. Being diagnosed a month apart, the married couple allowed their faith, love and the care they received at Cape Fear Valley Cancer Treatment & CyberKnife Center to carry them through their darkest days.
Their journey began with Karen’s routine yearly mammogram at Valley Regional Imaging. Because her mother had breast cancer, she made sure never to miss her screenings. This visit would be different; her doctor would call with difficult news.
“I was at work when she called,” Karen said. “She told me, ‘I hate to say this over the phone, but it’s breast cancer.’ Words can’t explain how I felt at that moment.”
Doctors found Karen’s cancer on the outside of her milk duct, which is the tube that carries milk to the nipple. The doctors decided to do a lumpectomy, a surgery to remove the cancer, and another surgery to take out lymph nodes under her right arm to make sure it hadn’t spread. Thankfully, it hadn’t.
Following the procedures, Karen began radiation treatments and started medicine to keep the cancer from coming back.
“Everyone at Cape Fear Valley Cancer Center was wonderful,” she said. “They played the music I wanted during treatments and made me feel at ease. Now, follow-up mammograms show the cancer is gone, and I only go back once a year.”
While Karen was fighting her battle, Andre began his own. He noticed a growth in his neck that quickly became prominent. After an Ear, Nose and Throat evaluation and biopsy, he was diagnosed with stage-two throat cancer, which was located at the back of his tongue.
“The first day I stepped into the cancer center and saw the sign, that’s when reality really hit me,” Andre said. “But everyone there made me feel so loved and cared for.”
Andre began radiation and chemotherapy treatments. Halfway through, he lost his voice — a painful loss for a minister who loves preaching and singing. He also developed severe burns on his neck from radiation, with open sores that nearly exposed bone. His weight dropped from 250 to 170 pounds, and he eventually needed a feeding tube because he could no longer swallow.
“There were days I couldn’t walk or bathe myself. My wife took care of me through it all,” he said. “But honestly, watching her go through cancer, too, was the hardest part.”
Karen agreed. “My journey was hard, but seeing his burns, weight loss and pain was heartbreaking.”
Despite their challenges, they supported each other every step of the way, and the couple is grateful for all their doctors, including radiation oncologist, Dr. Sunjay Barton.
“He was amazing,” Karen said. “I also had Dr. Kenneth Manning for chemo, and Andre had Dr. Sajjad Malick. Both were wonderful. Whenever we needed anything, they were there for us. Dr. Barton always kept it real. He told us, ‘You can beat this.’”
Both Karen and Andre were touched by the kindness of volunteers and staff. “People offered us blankets and drinks, always checking on us,” Karen said. “When Andre had chemo on Mondays, I never worked those days so I could sit in the lobby and wait for him.”
The couple has lost many loved ones to cancer over the past year, making them even more grateful for each other and the care they received at Cape Fear Valley Cancer Treatment & CyberKnife Center.
“Early detection saved my life,” Karen said. “Many people skip their yearly screenings, especially in the Black community, but you have to go,” she insisted. “God is a healer, but we have to do our part, too.”
Andre added, “We men hesitate to go to the doctor, but if something feels different, get it checked out. It could save your life.”
Looking back, Andre says Cape Fear Valley Cancer Center gave them truth and hope.
“They treated us like family,” he shared. “They told us cancer is not a death sentence. Look at us now. We’re here!”
Their journey changed how they see life.
“We slow down and appreciate everything,” Andre said. “The flowers, the colors – it all feels more vibrant now.”
Karen nodded. “We spend more time with family. You never know when it’s your last day.”
Above all, Andre wants others to know:
“Cancer is not the end. You have to fight, believe you’re healed and trust the treatments. There’s a testimony on the other side.”

(Photo courtesy of Cape Fear Valley Health)