BRYANT, Ark – A woman in Saline County is continuing a fight she’s battled for nearly 20 years, proving anything is possible with just a little bit of faith.
Back and forth, Utrena Williams sways in a rocking chair on her back porch.
“I just sit out here and unwind,” said Williams.
The last 20 years haven’t been easy but on her back porch, troubles fade away even just for a moment.
“It just flipped my world upside down,” said Williams.
In 2002, Utrena Williams went in for her yearly check-up when doctors noticed something wasn’t right.
“It was breast cancer of the liver,” said Williams.
Doctors told her it was stage four cancer. Suddenly the life the Saline County mother wanted flashed before her eyes.
“I just remember being in shock,” said Williams. “Like are you serious? Really?”
Williams began Chemotherapy treatments immediately and she is still taking them today.
“It wears you out,” said Williams.
After 20 years, the treatment took a toll on Williams. Three months ago, she was placed on hospice. Doctors told her she had 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 fight wasn’t over. Williams says she would continue to rely on faith and her family to get her through.
“It was five days, then two weeks came, all you could do was say, give God the glory,” said Young.
Months later, Williams is still fighting, and she says she’ll do it for as long as she can.