By William Smith
When Annette Worthy had surgery to get rid of the fibroid cysts in her uterus in 2009, the doctor wasn’t that worried. Removing the cysts would be no problem.
But there was one type of cyst that wasn’t like the others. The doctor didn’t immediately recognize it as cancer, but as Annette said, the doctor thought it looked “a little weird.”
“He wanted to test it,” Worthy said.
Three days later, the doctor called back with a very different tone. Turns out the cyst was cancerous, though it wasn’t the kind associated with uterine cancer. That’s why the doctor didn’t recognize it at first.
“He said, ‘I didn’t think he would ever be having this conversation,’” Worthy said. “You have to get up to Iowa City right away.”
Annette survived the cancer thanks to a grueling treatment that included chemotherapy and radiation. She knew the situation was severe. But she didn’t realize how serious it was until her cancer went into remission, and she saw the doctor again five years later.
“I walked in the door, and he goes, ‘Wow, I thought I would never see you again,’” Annette said.
The cancer wasn’t gone. In 2015, Annette was diagnosed with breast cancer. Once again, she summoned her will, with the help of her family, to beat the deadly disease.
But she is still scanned for cancer every year. She knows the cancer will always be lurking. And she’s ready to fight again if necessary.
Her husband, Duane Worthy, said Annette has a lot to live for. They aren’t just parents and grandparents. They’re great-grandparents.
“She (Annette) said she wanted to be there for her grandchildren’s graduation,” Duane said.
Relay for Life
The Des Moines County Relay for Life has been a fixture of the Burlington community for more than two decades. It’s a chance for cancer patients, survivors, and their caretakers to celebrate the lives of the fallen and provide each other strength for the ongoing cancer battle.
Duane and Annette took over planning the annual event several years ago.
They met 45 years ago and hit it off right away. Annette is a Danville native, and Duane is from Burlington. She used to work the third shift at a restaurant in Burlington, where they met.
“Working third shift is a different kind of animal,” Annette said, noting the number of rowdy drunks.
Worthy, who would go on to become the administrator of the Des Moines County Jail, was eating there with some work friends. Annette said the police often came by during their shifts and were unerringly polite.
“I went in there one night to have supper, and she was working. She was looking for a car, and I said, well, ‘Hey, you want to test drive mine?’” Duane said. “We’ve been together ever since. She never bought the car, but she got me.”
Duane was interested in law enforcement before graduating high school. Within a few years, he settled into the jail administrator role. Between his time as an assistant and head administrator, Duane looked over Des Moines County’s inmates for over 40 years.
“I had a great sheriff,” he said, referring to former Des Moines County Sheriff Mike Johnstone.
Meanwhile, Annette became a fixture in the Danville Community School District, working in the lunch room for over 30 years.
Annette found a community there, as she had done while working out with fellow cancer patients through the YMCA’s Live Strong program.
Now, she and Duane find community in the cancer survivors and patients who volunteer their time to fight the disease. They are gearing up for the 2024 Relay for Life, which was Sunday (Sept. 22) at Community Field.
“We always try to make sure that they (the cancer survivors) get something out of it. I mean, that’s what it’s about. It’s the survivors, the caregivers, and the support group. If you don’t have a good support group, it really makes it difficult sometimes,” Worthy said.
