Florissant, MO — ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- The toughest lessons are sometimes taught by the toughest people.
"I teach a curriculum called Phat. That's the acronym for promoting health amongst teens, "explains Michelle Bowie.
Bowie visits local middle schools as part of a grant program from Better Family Life. She explains that when it comes to sexual health, ignorance isn't bliss. It's dangerous.
"It's about making the right choices and being proud and responsible, "she says.
As a former Special Education teacher, she has always tried to light the way for her students, even when her world turned to shadows.
"It was in 1982 that I got married. Then in 1983 I got breast cancer, "she recalls.
Breast Cancer has always been a scary diagnosis, especially for a young mother in 1983. Michelle says though, it was a lot worse when it came back 10 years later.
"Now that was scary because I'm thinking I'm healed and then it came back again, "she explained.
Two chapters on cancer is more than enough for anyone's story but now Michelle is writing a third.
Her daughter Jocelyn Jones was diagnosed earlier this year.
"My heart dropped, "says Jones.
It was only after Michelle's second diagnosis that she learned that she's a carrier of the BRCA gene mutation.
"If I have the gene, "she explains, "there's a 50 percent chance that any of my children have the gene and not just that, even their children."
So, Michelle is back in the role of teacher showing her daughter that you win this battle with fight not fright.
"To know that she's already been through it twice, it's very comforting because she's been with me everyday since February 12th when they called me, "says Jones.
Since then, there were two important dates marked on the family calendar.
June 9th. That's when Michelle, Jocelyn along with family and friends will be part of
the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. A day that always inspires anyone in this breast cancer battle.
"It's such a beautiful race and it's like we're all on one accord, "says Bowie.
And May 13th. That's where her mother's day present was presence.
"She's like my rock, "says Jones. " Whatever I'm going through she's there."
"I just want her to be here and I want her to be healthy and I want her to be able to raise her children like the Lord allowed me to do, "says Bowie. "That would be the best Mother's Day gift that she could give me."
Two women teaching us all that the best medicine against cancer is a mother and daughter together.
