“She was my inspiration to be vigilant,” said Bohannon.
In July 2022, after a routine screening mammogram, she was told that she needed to come back for a second mammogram. While not concerned, after the second mammogram, she was called in for a consultation at Tanner’s Comprehensive Breast Care Center.
A biopsy in September led to her breast cancer diagnosis. It was categorized as a high grade and fed by estrogen.
“It was HER2=positive invasive ductal carcinoma,” Bohannon said. “I was sitting at the dining room table reading the portal and my heart just dropped. Fear comes over you — and you panic. I called my identical twin sister, Kristie Greer, and she began researching for me and helping me understand the medical terms.”
When Bohannon went for a round of blood work, one thing meant the world to her.
“The phlebotomist could tell I was upset,” Bohannon said. “She knew right away. She told me that it would be OK. I told her I was just scared about everything, and this sweet lady took her gloves off and she laid her hands on me and she prayed for me.
“Her name was Darcy, and she took a brochure from the table and wrote in it, Proverbs 3:5-6. I knew at that point that God was going to be with me through this journey and no matter the outcome I would be OK.”
After meeting with Tanner breast cancer specialist Raul Zunzunegui, MD, they joined a host of family and friends to plan to fight the cancer.
“As a family we sat down and talked about everything that was coming,” Bohannon said. “I wanted their lives to be as normal as possible, but it was also important to be honest with them about what was going on. They saw me cry. They saw me fatigued during treatments. It was important to keep a balance.”
The day of her lumpectomy was emotional for Bohannon — it was also her son John’s birthday.
On the day of surgery, Bohannon’s friend Kay Hipps and her husband, Charles, came to be by her side and Charles prayed over her. A host of family and friends came to support Bohannon.
“I had a whole team of cheerleaders in the waiting room,” Bohannon said.
Beginning in November 2022, Bohannon met with medical oncologist Randy Pierce, MD, with Northwest Georgia Oncology Centers, received her chemotherapy port and began her chemotherapy treatments. By March, she was undergoing radiotherapy at Tanner’s Roy Richards, Sr. Cancer Center with Anil Dhople, MD, with Tanner Radiation Oncology.
“I can’t speak highly enough about my doctors,” Bohannon said. “Dr. Z, Dr. Pierce, Dr. Dhople — they listen to you and make sure you’re heard. They want the best for you.”
Bohannon teaches third grade at Jones Elementary School in Bremen. Her educational family wrapped their arms around her through this process.
Her principal, Sy Brown, and assistant principal, Billy Pollord, were very supportive throughout her journey. Friends and colleagues went out of their way to help Bohannon, organizing fundraising drives and meal trains.
“Battling With Bohannon” was an often-used phrase in the halls of the school and Bohannon continued to teach as much as she could during her treatments.
It was one of Bohannon’s students who inspired her to claim the word “hopeful” to ground herself. 
While her students knew Bohannon was going through treatments, they didn’t know the details. One of her students had a small medical issue and had surgery to repair it.
While catching up on some of the work he missed, he brought it to Bohannon and asked if it was OK. Assuring him that he had done well and praising him for his hard work, the student looked at her and said, “Ms. Bohannon, you know what you are? You are hopeful.”
“God brought me the word I needed for this journey through my third-grade math student,” Bohannon said. “When you have people who want to help you, let them help you. That was hard for me to accept at first. But God, He just kept sending people into my life — strangers even — who would bless me with a kind word or gesture. Let people help you. Let them bless you.”
When the day came that Bohannon realized she would have to shave her head due to the chemotherapy treatments, Bohannon did not know how she would make it through the day.
“I was very upset about it,” Bohannon said. “I knew it was time. I cried a lot. I started losing more and more hair each day. My friend April, owner of Elle Salon, who has done my hair for 16 years, offered to come to my house to do it for me. I told her I would go there to the salon because it was the one thing I had control over.
“I could make this decision to shave my head when I had no control over anything else that was happening to me. I did it alone even though my sister offered to come with me. I cried the entire time, but just before she started to shave my head, there was a lady in another chair next to me. I did not know her, but somehow she realized what was happening and why. She got out of her chair and asked if she could hold my hand. She stood there the entire time holding my hand while I cried and April shaved my head as I watched all of my hair fall to the floor.”
While it’s hard to talk about, Bohannon wants women to know the real things that happen with cancer. By sharing her story, she wants women to know that they are not alone.
“When I got home from the salon and my daughter saw me, that was when the fact that I had cancer became real for her,” Bohannon said. “Then I saw John. Knowing that I was going to have to shave my head, he and a couple of his friends, Tyler and Harrison, all shaved their heads in honor of me. It touched me so much that they would do this for me. It was so sweet. He came around the corner with that bald head and he laughed, then I laughed and then we laughed together.”
Her final chemotherapy treatment came In January 2023, but Bohannon continued to receive other treatments.
“There are so many people I need to mention who helped me through this process,” Bohannon said. “Lisa Banks and Ashley Underwood are the two ladies at the radiation center. They were so sweet to me during my four weeks of treatment.”
Radiation was particularly difficult for Bohannon as she is claustrophobic, but that’s another aspect she wants to raise awareness about.
“There are little things you don’t know of when it comes to cancer treatments,” Bohannon said. “People know the words chemotherapy and radiation, but the way it makes you feel as a person are not often talked about. If we normalize these conversations and make women aware, it can make the process easier. We are so blessed to have the Tanner treatment centers here in this area and we don’t have to travel.”
“Amber Dishman is the vice president of surgical services. I had her daughter in my class this past year. She was the one that came into my room before I had my lumpectomy to check on me and make sure everything was OK and going well. Susan Crews was the staff nurse that prepared me for surgery that day. Her daughter is friends with my daughter. They are in the same grade. It was so comforting to have her there. Jennifer Underwood is surgical services lead. She was there to comfort me and consoled me while being rolled into the OR. Alison Grooms is the owner of Jules and James boutique here in Carrollton. She was so kind to give me the button-down and zip-up tops I needed for my surgery. Denise and Claire at the oncology center were so kind to let my cry on their shoulders.”
During her treatments, Bohannon often carried with her a wooden angel that was signed by all her co-workers and friends from her school with messages of love and support. 
She also carried a rock engraved with “all things are possible with God,” which was given to her by Christy DeFoor. DeFoor actually bought the rock for herself and it helped her through her own breast cancer journey. DeFoor passed the rock on to Bohannon.
“She gave it to me the day of my first chemo treatment,” Bohannon said. “I kept it on my nightstand, so that I could see it every night and every morning to remind me that I wasn't alone.
I also want to mention that my Papa, Tom Raines, wore a pink shirt every single day in October to support me through breast cancer awareness month. My mom, Pat Raines, gave me much of her time taking me back and forth to doctor appointments and treatments. I am so thankful for her and my mother-in-law, Suzanne Bohannon.
“Sidra McWhorter, the owner of Sweet Pea's boutique in Carrollton, called a company named Inspired Designs. The company was very cooperative and my friend Diane Chandler was able to give me the necklace with the word I clung to during my journey, ‘Hopeful,’ on it. That meant a lot to me that people went out of their way to make such sweet blessings happen for me.”
One thing that Bohannon wants to make clear is the importance of her faith through this process.
“I could not have gotten through this without Him,” Bohannon said. “The scripture I picked to meditate on during my journey is Psalms 46:10. Be still and know that I am God. There are days I would cry. There are nights that I would wake up and cry. That’s OK. I want people to know that even when you’re hopeful, even when you’re praying, you will have moments like that.”
The biggest takeaway that Bohannon wants women to know is the importance of getting annual mammograms and how they can save your life.
“Respect yourself as a person enough to take care of yourself,” Bohannon said. “The MA’AM project helps others to be aware of how important it is to get your mammograms. It can save your life. I wasn’t going to let cancer win and you shouldn’t either.”