When 62-year-old Reneé Jackson-Lester realized she was struggling to put her thoughts into words in 2024, she visited her doctor. Two days later, she had her first seizure and was subsequently diagnosed with cancer.  

Upon her initial diagnosis, Lester’s doctors informed her of a large tumor they discovered in her brain, as well as numerous cancer cells spread throughout her body in the form of lymphoma. 

After months of medication to prevent further seizures, Lester underwent an operation to remove the tumor from her brain. However, the surgery came with a sacrifice: she had to choose between keeping her hearing or her speech.  

“I said I’d rather be able to hear because I can help people. I can hear their story, and I can help them,” Lester said.  

When her family visited her in the hospital after the surgery, her daughters surrounded her for comfort, as the surgery was completed without the loss of Lester’s hearing or voice.  

At that moment, Lester recalled how she raised a hand and said, “Thank you, Lord. I can hear. I can speak.”  

To navigate her recovery, Lester now uses resources through Little Red Door Cancer Agency, a nonprofit organization that supports cancer patients and survivors during all stages of treatment and remission. (Photos by Ryan Fleek)

You can read more about this story here: Little Red Door Cancer Agency: A Sanctuary for Survivors