As part of the Relay for Life of Mercer County Radiothon, WRMJ welcomed Missy Harrison to the airwaves to share her powerful and deeply personal story. Missy is currently in the final stages of cancer treatment after being diagnosed with cervical cancer earlier this year.
Speaking with WRMJ’s Terry James, Missy opened up about the emotional and physical toll of her diagnosis, as well as her motivation for speaking out. She and her husband, Darren, have been documenting parts of their journey online with the hope of raising awareness—particularly about the symptoms and signs many women may ignore or misinterpret.
“Women aren’t really talking about some of their experiences,” she said. “Even in our own family, there were people going through things and nobody really knew about it. We thought—this is something that needs to be talked about.”
Missy shared that she experienced ongoing back pain—something she originally attributed to office work or previous minor back issues. She also described unusually heavy menstrual cycles that she had chalked up to perimenopause, especially considering her family history. In hindsight, she now sees both as warning signs that shouldn’t have been ignored.
“There’s just a difference,” she said. “If you’re having something really heavy, it’s definitely something you want to get checked out.”
Throughout her treatment, Missy has leaned heavily on her faith. She recalled a particularly low point when her hemoglobin levels dropped dangerously, reaching a four—a level so low it required three blood transfusions. “We had people praying for me,” she said. “They said my hemoglobin wouldn’t go up for weeks, but it jumped from a four to a seven. I’ve seen God working through this entire time.”
Missy’s message to the community is one of both awareness and action. She encouraged listeners to not only pay attention to their own health but also to support those who may be going through something similar.
“This is just something people really need,” she said. “Whether it’s care, understanding, or help getting to appointments, people need support—and that’s why giving matters.”
Her story is a reminder of why Relay for Life is so vital—not just for funding research, but for ensuring that cancer patients and their families have access to the resources and compassion they need to face the hardest moments of their lives.
To support the cause and help others like Missy, donations to the Relay for Life of Mercer County Radiothon can be made by calling WRMJ at 309-582-5666.