HOUSTON — After 30 years of friendship, two Houston-area women beat breast cancer together.
Laura Wong and Martha Maggard rang the bell together at Memorial Hermann Cancer Center last week to celebrate the end of their treatment.
But the women’s friendship started long before their battle with cancer.
“In 1991, I started teaching at Johnson Elementary in Aldine and Martha was the secretary,” Wong said.
They kept in touch after Martha retired. Then the educators ran into each other in the halls of Memorial Hermann.
“The first day I heard her voice and I said, 'Is that you?' We went to laughing,” Martha said.
Laura says they saw each other every day from then on. She says it was a comfort to her as she went through cancer treatment for the second time.
“I was really anxious and nervous. Every day, I would see Martha there. She was smiling and positive. It really helped me a lot. God put her there for me. He knew I was going to need somebody and there was Martha,” Laura said.
She is excited to move forward and follow her friend’s advice.
“She said, 'Trust God. You’ve done what you can do. Now go and live your life.' Her encouragement is very inspiring to me,” Laura said.