AUBURN, Ala. – Dropping off her daughter at school one morning last fall, Nancy Pearson noticed the distinctive license plate on the car in front of her.
FIGHTER.
"That's me," said Pearson, an Auburn real estate agent, mother of two teenagers, and wife of Clark Pearson, Auburn's senior athletic trainer for men's basketball. "I'm going to fight with everything I've got inside of me."
Weeks earlier, a routine mammogram led to a diagnosis of breast cancer known as invasive ductal carcinoma.
"I was about to pass out from fear," Nancy said, recalling an anxious week spent waiting for biopsy results.
On Aug. 30, 18 years and one day after she'd lost her father to pancreatic cancer, Nancy's cancer journey began when a doctor told her surgery would be required.
"The fear was there because that is one word that scares everybody," she said. "Especially after losing my dad, and my grandmother, five months before my dad's death, to bladder cancer."
A week after the diagnosis, a lumpectomy removed 8 millimeters of cancerous tissue.
"I was lucky and blessed that it was caught so early that I had that choice," she said.'I'm going to fight'
In late October, Nancy had the first of 20 radiation treatments.
On Nov. 19, surrounded by family and close friends, Nancy rang the bell at Spencer Cancer Center, signifying the end of her radiation regimen.
"When it came time to ring the bell, it was a lot more emotional than I expected it to be," she said. "Tears flowed. It was a wonderful day."
After Nancy's final treatment, a radiation therapist gave her a butterfly-shaped ornament that included a ribbon, the symbol for breast cancer, a gift that carries special meaning for Nancy.
"The song for my dad and I that we always had was 'Butterfly Kisses,'" she said, referencing a song about a father's love for his daughter as he watches her grow. "The day of his funeral when we were pulling into the cemetery there was a butterfly resting on the back of the hearse as we pulled in.
"The day of my last treatment was the 19th anniversary of the day they found out about his pancreatic cancer."
'My dad was with me': Nancy received a butterfly ornament after her last radiation treatment
The butterfly ornament reminds Nancy's of her dad's enduring presence.
"This, to me, told me that my dad was with me through the whole thing," said Nancy, holding the ornament. "On that day, 19 years later to the day, this was given to me. That will be with me forever."
A few days later, Nancy accompanied Clark to The Bahamas to support the Tigers in the Battle 4 Atlantis, a tournament that first showcased Auburn's 2021-22 potential to a national audience.
"That's how we celebrated," she said.
For the next five years, Nancy will take Tamoxifen daily, a medicine designed to reduce the odds of recurrence.
In a span of six months, she's become an advocate for early detection, sharing her story on social media and connecting with other cancer survivors.
"If I can be some sort of a light for them," she said. "I'm very grateful that my journey with it wasn't as intense as what some have to go through. And that hurts my heart for them because it was scary.
"Even if it's just what I had, it's still scary, and the fear of the possibility of it coming back. Or are we sure we got it all? Is there more? That fear is still there. We continue to lean on prayer and know He's going to help and get us through."
In a recent week, five friends reached out to Nancy to say they'd scheduled mammograms after hearing her story, one that began with her following her doctor's instruction to schedule a mammogram after an annual exam.
"You've got to go," she said, urging people to get over the discomfort of not wanting to deal with tests and screenings. "If I had not gone, it could have gotten a lot worse. I'm grateful that I try to continue to listen to my body, and pray, and urge people to go."
"I'm very proud and blessed that something as positive as that has come out of this," Clark said.
On Feb. 12, Auburn men's basketball will hold its annual AUTLIVE cancer game against Texas A&M, raising awareness of cancer prevention and detection while sharing proceeds from t-shirt sales with local cancer patients in need.
"We're extremely blessed, not only from the outcome, but also from the fact that she's used this as a platform for early detection," Clark said. "Cancer affects everybody in one way or another.
"It's the fact that you're going through cancer, or your loved one is going through cancer. It does change your perspective. You really don't know until you go through it."
Before the Tigers and Aggies tip off, Auburn coaches, student-athletes and staff will hold up AUTLIVE signs with the names of loved ones whose lives have been touched by cancer. For the first time, Clark will write Nancy's name on his sign.
"Having your spouse go through that, it does carry a little different meaning and different weight," he said. "You really appreciate much more the blessings, the support, and the fact that you're not going through this by yourself.
"To have the AUTLIVE program and all the people who have been affected come together, it makes it special.
"When you go through something like this with a family member, it hits different. It's more than just an event. It's a meaning, it's a cause.
"We want to continue her platform. We want to continue to help others keep carrying on and helping folks fight the good fight."
Every day as the athletic trainer for the nation's No. 1 team, Clark Pearson takes care of elite athletes. When he leaves Auburn Arena and goes home, he sees another champion.
"I'm very impressed with her mental toughness and her tenacity," Clark said. "While all at the same time, working, taking care of the household, and being a beacon for others."'A beacon for others': Nancy and Clark Pearson
Jeff Shearer is a Senior Writer at AuburnTigers.com. Follow him on Twitter: @jeff_shearer