Mayor has low-stage breast cancer

Ruth Penney-Bell says she'll cut back on some functions, but will still attend to city business

Then newly-elected Texarkana, Ark., Mayor Ruth Penney-Bell poses for a portrait at City Hall in November 2014.
Then newly-elected Texarkana, Ark., Mayor Ruth Penney-Bell poses for a portrait at City Hall in November 2014.

Texarkana's first female mayor, Ruth Penney-Bell, has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is being treated for the disease.

Penney-Bell said a routine mammogram detected a lump that was not there during last year's exam. Penney-Bell does not have a history of breast cancer in her family, but spoke candidly Wednesday morning about the importance of keeping even seemingly routine appointments.

"All women should have a mammogram whenever the doctor recommends it. We all have to be aware," Penney-Bell said. "And so much progress has been made in breast cancer treatment, it is no longer a death sentence."

Penney-Bell suspected she might have breast cancer in December, but tests confirmed early suspicions in mid-January. The cancer is in Stage 1, which is low on the spectrum of breast cancer, which can reach Stage 4. Although some people in Texarkana, Ark., already know of the mayor's diagnosis, she said she needs everyone to understand what she is going through.

"This is very personal, but because of my public profile, I'm trying to make something normally private public," Penney-Bell said. "I gave up the right to be private and personal when I was sworn in to represent the city."

Penney-Bell's first term as Texarkana, Ark., mayor began in January 2015. Since taking office, the retired English teacher and businesswoman has filled virtually all of her time handling duties relating to her office. She could be seen each week at City Hall, and her datebook reflects handwritten reminders crammed into each day of the month.

She has attended countless events to represent the city and even rode a camel alongside Texarkana, Texas, Mayor Bob Bruggeman in last year's 31st annual Christmas Parade. However, as she fights her disease, she said she is going to have to cut back to primarily attending the city's two monthly board meetings held on alternating Monday nights from the Texas-side meetings, all meetings that pertain to city business.

"I'm not going to be able to be at every function I'm invited to because I'm going to need time to recover and heal," she said.

Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant cells form in the tissues of the breast, according to the National Breast Cancer Inc.'s Website. In Stage 1, the cancer is evident, but it is contained to only the area where the first abnormal cells began to develop. The breast cancer has been detected in the early stages and can be very effectively treated.

Bruggeman found out about Penney-Bell's diagnosis a couple of weeks ago at the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International's luncheon at Texarkana County Club. Both he and the Texarkana, Ark., mayor spoke to members of the organization, which honors outstanding female teachers. Bruggeman said he was impressed with Penney-Bell's attitude about what she faces.

"I have been very pleased with the positive attitude that she has about this illness," Bruggeman said. "She has been very upbeat and positive, and that will certainly be important as well when you are dealing with a medical issue like this. We are going to assist Penney-Bell and the city of Texarkana, Ark., and we stand ready to do that, and we are just going through that together with both she and her family as she works though this."

The Texas-side mayor said the city's thoughts and prayers will certainly include Ward 6 Council Member Josh Davis, who lives on the Texas side but is an Arkansas-side firefighter. Davis is Penney-Bell's son.

Dr. Kenny Haskin, the Texarkana, Ark., city manager, said Penney-Bell's regular presence at City Hall will be missed, but said the mayor would still be involved in city business.

"Make no mistake about it, she will be behind the scenes pushing her progressive agenda, whether she is at City Hall or somewhere else," Haskin said. "We are concerned, but obviously hopeful and optimistic that the prognosis will be in our favor."

Penney-Bell said she was surprised to hear the number of people who are already praying for her swift recovery. She said what Pope Francis said in a June 2015 meeting with Argentina's president, Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner, at the Vatican, sums up what she would like people to do for her from here on out.

"I would like them to do as the Pope said, 'Pray for me, and if some of you can't pray because you are not believers, send me good vibrations.'" Pope Francis was quoted in a June 2015 Reuters story.

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