Cancer survivor has a lot of life left

WASILLA — It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Tisha Jones was an athletic, fit wife and mother of two little girls who ate right and lived an active lifestyle. In her early 30s, she was making the most of her time raising her girls, then ages 7 and 4, and teaching physical education at Birchtree Charter School.

She wasn’t supposed to get cancer.

“I’ve been athletic my whole life and ate well,” Jones says about her March 2011 diagnosis of breast cancer. “At least I thought so. It was utter shock to hear that. No one expects it to happen, especially when you’re a young mother in her 30s. It just changed my whole world in a second.”

On Thursday, Jones enjoyed the first day of school with other teachers and students around the Mat-Su Borough. She’s still recovering from her latest surgery, however, so she tires easily and can’t perform some tasks. But she’s now cancer-free and — with an altered perspective on life — trying to get back on the train cancer derailed more than two years ago.

“It was a joy,” she said of getting back into the school. “It was great — and tiring.”

Although her breast cancer was detected early, it was an especially aggressive type and quickly progressed into stage 3, Jones said. An equally aggressive regimen of chemotherapy followed, as well as several surgeries. And although Jones and husband Cory, who works with cardiac trauma patients at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, have health insurance, it hasn’t been nearly enough to cover all the costs involved in fighting the cancer.

That’s why the Jones family — Tisha, Cory, Skylar, now 9, and Falyn, now 6 — feel “humbled and grateful” for a caring community Tisha says has supported them throughout her struggle.

That’s also the feeling she has for the annual Big M Memorial Benefit, slated from noon to 10 p.m., Aug. 17 at the Mug-Shot Saloon in Wasilla. The benefit is named for Marilyn Anderson, wife of Mug-Shot owner Ted Anderson and chooses a deserving family that’s dealing with a catastrophic situation, said Nikki Lee, business manager for the Mug-Shot. Marilyn Anderson died after her battle with cancer, but not before her treatment racked up a large medical bill.

“The brainchild of the whole thing is Ted and Marylin who had owned the Mug-Shot for 20-plus years, and they were faced with the prospect of being small business owners without great health insurance.”

That first fundraiser five years ago raised more than $120,000 for the Andersons, and since then the family has wanted to give back to other families facing similar hardships, Lee said. Last year’s effort for the family of George Gardner raised more than $28,000.

‘There are lots of what ifs

After the shock of learning she had breast cancer, Jones said her thoughts quickly went to her young children and husband.

“That was one of the hardest pieces, thinking of them,” she said. “The hardest part was not knowing if I’d be here to see who they’d become and who they’d marry and see them develop and mature. The same with my husband.”

Tisha and Cory were high school sweethearts at Topeka West High School in Topeka, Kan., and although still a young couple, they’ve been together about 15 years, she said. Suddenly having to contemplate possibly not being around to see her girls grow was almost overwhelming at times, she said.

“There are a lot of what ifs,” she said about the mindset one has when fighting cancer. “What if I hadn’t caught it? What if I hadn’t received the treatments I did?”

Now, she also thinks about the continuing fight to find a cure for cancer, a battle that in the past decade has produced medications and treatments that likely saved her life. Had she been diagnosed 10 years ago, Jones said that “would’ve been a death sentence.”

She’s also grateful for a generous community that has chipped in to help her family. Sometimes it’s been a stranger bringing food so she wouldn’t have to cook, other times a nice card or letter. On Saturday, the Big M Memorial Benefit will help the family catch up on two-year-old medical bills, and also allow them to thank everyone for their support.

“I’m a little dumbstruck by it all, really,” she said. “I’m humbled by it and I guess I don’t feel worthy of it. I’m so grateful and thankful. It’s been tough. We’re still paying off bills from two-and-a-half years ago. And, it is a bit overwhelming to think this effort is for you and your family.”

Contact Greg Johnson at 352-2269 or

greg.johnson@frontiersman.com.