Meet the Models: Deborah Williams
When Deborah Williams was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer in 2014, she was at the peak of her health. An ironman triathlete, clean eater, dog lover, and full-time nursing professor, Deborah lived a disciplined and vibrant lifestyle. Cancer—any cancer—was not on her radar.
“I clearly remember being shocked as the doctor told me of my stage 4 de novo diagnosis, which means breast cancer had already spread to my bones.”
What started as hip flexor pain eventually led to an MRI—something Deborah had to advocate for herself. That scan revealed a 9mm tumor in her femoral head and three fractures in her femur. A surgical repair uncovered breast tissue in her leg, launching an unexpected course of chemotherapy.
Determined to use her diagnosis as a teaching moment, Deborah didn’t hold back. As a nursing professor, she assigned her own case study to her students—revealing at the end of the semester, with a dramatic wig toss, that it was her all along.
But her journey only got more complicated. A year later, the titanium rod placed in her leg shattered due to a defect. Doctors told her she’d likely never walk normally again. That was the moment everything shifted for Deborah.
“That simply wouldn’t do.”
She left full-time teaching, started private tutoring, and doubled down on physical therapy—five days a week, even after her insurance stopped covering it. With persistence, she got back on her bike, into the pool, and into a new rhythm of life.
“My daily routines of yoga, swimming, biking, or hiking with my dogs make me feel like a human being. My treatment will never end, so I find joy in something every day.”
Living with metastatic disease has reshaped not just her health, but her entire outlook.
“I see clearly the things I appreciate. I’m far less stressed than I was pre-diagnosis. I live in the moment a lot more than I used to.”
Deborah has continued to adapt with grit and clarity. In 2021, after seven years NED (no evidence of disease), she discovered a new low-grade tumor in her right breast. Though genetically HER2 and BRCA positive, this new tumor didn’t match either mutation. Deborah decided it was time for a double mastectomy.
“I’m going flat—one and done. I’m an A-cup on a good day. I’m an athlete. Honestly, it benefits me not to have them.”
Her no-nonsense approach extends to the people around her, too. She urges anyone newly diagnosed to be clear about their needs, especially when others try to center their own experience.
“The amount of times people make it about them—‘my aunt had cancer!’—is frustrating. Every diagnosis is different. Don’t compare. Don’t search Dr. Google. Just show up and listen.”
While some people faded from her life post-diagnosis, her core tribe held strong. One friend even encouraged her to write a book—something she’s now working on. She also started a local breast cancer support group when she couldn’t find one nearby, and she now serves on the Patient Advocacy Council at her hospital.
Despite over a decade of treatment, Deborah continues to defy expectations. She has tolerated 11+ years of chemotherapy with minimal side effects and finds healing in nature, movement, and meaningful conversation.
“I cringe when people say ‘fight the battle.’ I’m not at war. I’m in conversation with my cancer.”
Deborah’s story is not one of denial or despair—it’s one of evolution. She is clear-eyed, compassionate, and fiercely in tune with her body. At Runway for Recovery, we are honored to walk beside her, not as someone defined by her disease, but as someone who continues to redefine what strength and survivorship can look like.
