20 years later, a woman from Saline County fights stage 4 breast cancer without giving up

Bryant, Arkansas – Anything is possible with just a little bit of faith, as demonstrated by a woman in Saline County who is still fighting a battle she has fought for almost 20 years.

Utrena Williams rocks back and forth on her back porch in a rocking chair.

“I just sit out here and unwind,” said Williams.

Although the past 20 years have not been easy, problems seem to vanish for a while when she is on her back porch.

“It just flipped my world upside down,” said Williams.

In 2002, when doctors sensed something wasn’t quite right, Utrena Williams went in for her annual check-up.

“It was breast cancer of the liver,” said Williams.

Her cancer was diagnosed as stage 4 by doctors. The mother from Saline County experienced a sudden vision of the life she desired.

“I just remember being in shock,” said Williams. “Like are you serious? Really?”

Williams started her chemotherapy treatments right away, and she continues to do so now.

“It wears you out,” said Williams.

After 20 years, Williams felt the effects of the treatment. She was put on hospice care three months ago. Her doctors gave her a week to live.

“What? That’s one of my baby sisters. I’m the oldest. It was a blow, it was a major blow,” said Utrena’s sister Toyna Young.

“I just remember saying, hey, I don’t feel like going anywhere,” said Williams.

The conflict had not ended. Williams claims that in order to get through, she would continue to rely on her family and her faith.

“It was five days, then two weeks came, all you could do was say, give God the glory,” said Young.

Williams said she’ll continue to fight for as long as she can even months afterwards.