Archive of ‘Food in Birmingham’ category

Those wings from Piggly Wiggly? They are more than a meal for Kimberly Callines

By Chanda Temple

Five wings and sweet potato casserole.

That’s all Kimberly Callines wanted from Piggly Wiggly following her ob/gyn appointment at a Birmingham hospital in February 2022 . In fact, she wanted the meal so badly that she had made up her mind she was going to skip her scheduled mammogram right after her gynecologist visit and head down the street to pick up the Southern delicacy.

But as she stood at the elevator, ready to push the button to the floor that would take her to her car, she changed her mind when she heard God say, “Go get the mammogram.”

She followed orders and had the mammogram. The technician looked at Kimberly’s images and said, “Un-uhh. They may call you back for another mammogram.”

That call back set things in motion that forever changed Kimberly’s life. Additional testing showed that she had Stage 1 breast cancer.

Kimberly Callines (Photo provided by Kimberly Callines)
Kimberly Callines (Photo provided by Kimberly Callines)

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Hope looks like Tomeka Clemons after a year tested everything

By Chanda Temple

Tomeka Clemons’ breast cancer journey started in November 2023 when she went in for a routine mammogram. She went home, thinking things were OK. Then, a letter arrived in the mail, telling her the mammogram looked suspicious. A second letter soon arrived, asking her to return for a second mammogram of her left breast.

She returned for another mammogram. The radiologist looked at it and told her she was good. She could return in a year for another mammogram. But God saw different, telling Tomeka to seek a second opinion.

Tomeka has what’s known as “lumpy breasts,” and she could feel a small lump in her breast that just wouldn’t let her rest. “Maybe the mammogram missed it,” she thought. She had her mom feel the lump and her husband feel it. And then, she had her gynecologist, who was a breast cancer survivor, feel it.

They all agreed with Tomeka, there was a lump.

Tomeka Clemons (Photo provided by Tomeka Clemons)
Tomeka Clemons (Photo provided by Tomeka Clemons)

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Faith, family and a new perspective guided Marcella Roberts through breast cancer

By Chanda Temple

“How in the world do I have breast cancer?”

That’s what Marcella Roberts wanted to know after a routine mammogram and later a biopsy showed she had Stage 2, triple negative breast cancer, which is a cancer that is common in women of color and experts have more difficulty pinpointing what fuels it.

Marcella had no symptoms, no signs and no one in her family had had breast cancer. And even though breast cancer can show up without symptoms or a family history, Marcella still wondered, “So, how did this happen?”

But pretty soon, she had to put down that question and pick up the fight for her life.

Marcella Roberts (Photo provided by Marcella Roberts)
Marcella Roberts (Photo provided by Marcella Roberts)

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Steele Standing: How Ebony Arrington Steele fought breast cancer while living her dream

By Chanda Temple

Six weeks.

That’s all it took for Ebony Arrington Steele’s life to change.

Six weeks after being selected as a co-host for a nationally-syndicated radio show in Dallas, Ebony found herself in the doctor’s office to investigate what felt like a hard marble in her right breast.

She was 35, living her dream but now facing her biggest test: cancer.

Ebony Arrington Steele (Photo provided by Ebony Arrington Steele)
Ebony Arrington Steele (Photo provided by Ebony Arrington Steele)

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Kasandra Brundidge’s journey through breast cancer, motherhood and marathon training

By Chanda Temple

Six weeks after giving birth to her second son, Kasandra Brundidge went in for what she thought would be a routine checkup. It wasn’t.

Doctors told her she had stage 0 breast cancer. A month later in November 2007, the cancer had advanced to Stage 2, Triple Negative.

For five years, she had been trying to get a mammogram. But every time she was to go in, she was either pregnant or sick. (She had experienced four miscarriages before her second son was born in September 2007. )

Her diagnosis was crushing news. But Kasandra was determined to fight the disease. She had 18 founds of chemo and then 32 rounds of radiation. Testing also revealed she had the breast cancer gene. In May 2009, she had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

Kasandra Brundidge (Photo provided by Kasandra Brundidge)
Kasandra Brundidge (Photo provided by Kasandra Brundidge)

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Married 34 years, Dr. Jacqueline Stewart still chooses love and lunch every Friday

Every time they are together, Birmingham Pediatrician Jacqueline Stewart and George W. Stewart are caught in the same dilemma: What will we eat?

It’s a small moment, but it’s their moment until they eventually make a decision.

Salads. Check.

Sandwiches. Check.

Fried Fish. Check! Check! Check!

Dr. Jacqueline Stewart (Photo source: Facebook)
Dr. Jacqueline Stewart (Photo source: Facebook)

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The signs of breast cancer aren’t always the same for everyone

By Chanda Temple

Maranda LaRussa knew that lumps in one’s breast could be a sign of cancer. But never had she heard about itchy breasts possibly being a sign.

So, when her breasts started to itch in the summer of 2018, she thought it was odd. Then in October 2018, she experienced pain when she touched a lump in her breast. Immediately, she contacted her doctor.

She went in for an ultrasound. Test results showed it was cancer. A few weeks later, she learned she had Stage 3A breast cancer. She felt like if she had known about itchy breasts, she could have gotten her breasts checked earlier.

“But I ‘m glad that I noticed my symptoms, I was vigilant, and I moved as soon as I could,” she said.  

Maranda LaRussa (Photo by Taneisha Tucker Photography)
Maranda LaRussa (Photo by Taneisha Tucker Photography)

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Finding love after loss: How Germaine Robinson is living a full life today

By Chanda Temple

The year was 1991, and Germaine Robinson had just undergone a mastectomy. As doctors started to remove the bandages, questions filled her head.

“Would men be attracted to me?”

“How will my clothes fit?”

But soon, a 22-year-old Germaine had an epiphany that set the tone for the rest of her life: “If they can’t love me without it, then it wasn’t meant to be.”

Germaine Robinson (Photo provided by Germaine Robinson)
Germaine Robinson (Photo provided by Germaine Robinson)

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Jill Carter had plans. Then life changed them

By Chanda Temple 

Breast cancer wasn’t part of Jill Carter’s plans. But plans change.

She was a married mom of three boys – one in kindergarten, one in fourth grade and one in 10th grade – when she was diagnosed with Stage 2 Triple Negative breast cancer on Oct. 3, 2008. From working part time to handling home life, she stayed on the go 

“I remember thinking I don’t have time for this. But I did, and that began the fight of my life,” she said. 

Jill Carter (Photo by Taneisha Tucker Photography)
Jill Carter (Photo by Taneisha Tucker Photography)

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Breast cancer led Denetra Johnson closer to God and community college

By Chanda Temple

Breast cancer pushed Denetra Johnson to do two things: enroll in community college and go to church more.

It all started on Oct. 29, 2011 after her doctor called and said she had triple breast cancer. What followed next was all Denetra had to hear: “I think we got it in time.”

Denetra cried at first. Then, she told her family and started working on a plan.

 “I said, ‘Well, I’m fixing to do some thangs now,’ ” Denetra recalled. “It’s time for me to grow up, … get stronger, be a thriver and a survivor.’ ”

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