By Chanda Temple
It’s a Thursday evening, and Janice Wilson is going over lines for a play.
She’s read scripts for smaller projects and even enrolled in acting classes in the past. But this right here is different.
“This is bigger because people are paying to come to this one. And I got a contract,’’ she said of her role in “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress,” which was presented at the Homewood Theatre in late September.
“The reason I’m challenging myself with this play is because my mother died of Alzheimer’s, and I’m trying to do things to keep my mind sharp.”
At 82, this retired principal from Birmingham’s Bush Middle School does a lot to stay active. She acts with the Red Mountain Seasoned Performers, volunteers with middle school students through the City of Birmingham’s Common Ground program, visits nursing homes, is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., and has even played aqua volleyball. (She only stopped the aqua volleyball in 2024 because she was busy doing something else.)
But one of her more victorious roles has been being a breast cancer survivor.
In 2016, she was diagnosed with breast cancer after a routine mammogram. She underwent a lumpectomy. Then, she had radiation for eight weeks. She took medication to treat certain types of breast cancer for five years. She was declared cancer-free in 2021.
When something suspicious appeared after a mammogram in 2024, she returned for an ultrasound. It was just fatty tissue. She was relieved, but knows she must remain vigilant about her health.
“My mother had a single mastectomy, and my father had bone cancer,” she said. “Early detection is key.”
Another activity she enjoys doing is being a Yelper, where she visits restaurants, writes reviews and posts photos to Yelp. When asked where she likes to eat out, her list is long and covers several areas in Jefferson County. In Birmingham, she gave high praise for the shrimp and grits and churro doughnuts from the Toasted Yolk. She also likes the LF Cheeseburger from La Fete on Morris Avenue.
“It’s huge,” she said of the burger, which is made with dry aged beef, a cheese sauce, crispy leeks and a cognac sauce on a housemade brioche bun. “You have to cut it into fours to pick it up. This one is the bomb.’’
“When I go in there, I really feel like I’m in Paris,” Janice said. “I like their atmosphere. It’s small and intimate.”
La Fete owner Kristen Farmer Hall was honored that Janice liked the burger.
“I will never not be honored to do the work that we do because we talk a lot about meeting people where they are and helping them feel seen and heard,” Kristin said. “That’s really how I define hospitality. And for me, that is a … reminder that we don’t know the journeys that people are on, and we don’t know how their experience at Le Fete or Bandit are affecting them. It’s a real honor to have people living their life in our restaurant. That was such a kind thing for her to say.”
Janice said she’s living life like it’s golden because tomorrow is not promised.
“I think that God let me know He didn’t save me to be sitting on the sofa, watching soap operas,” she said. “If He saved me from cancer, I need to be out there doing something.’’
***NOTE: In America, one in eight women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I will be profiling one female breast cancer survivor each day in October 2025. The stories will also highlight a food from a Birmingham, AL restaurant or food vendor they liked at some point during their breast cancer journey or today. The series is called “SurviveHer at the Table: Food. Faith. Fight.”
Each story posted this month is the opinion of the survivor, with a goal to increase awareness about early detection and treatment for breast cancer. Readers should consult with their physician for medical and health advice and a nutritionist for healthy eating tips. Links to area resources will be shared in future posts this month.
Chanda Temple is an award-winning writer living in Birmingham, Ala. She blogs at http://www.chandatemplewrites.com. If you have a food story idea, email her at chandatemple@gmail.com. Follow her on Instagram at @chandatemple.
Copyright © 2025, All rights reserved.
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