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Sorority stands behind cancer patient during pandemic

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Updated  March 26, 2020 10:24am EDT
Cancer
FOX 5 Atlanta

HENRY COUNTY, Ga. - Social distancing wasn’t enough to stop a group of women from rallying around their friend with stage four cancer.

The friends and family didn’t expect a video of their private, kind gesture to encourage thousands of people online and across the country. Fear can sneak upon us.

“Things are scary when you’re fighting stage four breast cancer in the middle of coronavirus,” Shannon Thompson said of her mother, Stacy Franklin.

Sorority supports cancer patient

A Henry County cancer patient got an amazing surprise from her sorority sisters

But thankfully the Henry County therapist has an army backing her.

“She is literally the glue that holds friends and families together,” Thompson said.

Franklin’s bright spirit brought 12 of 15 women from her sorority out of their homes in the middle of a pandemic.

Boldly lifting their voices to the gospel song “God’s Got a blessing,” standing six-feet- apart, they reminded the Franklin family: fear isn’t welcome here.

Franklin tackled cancer before, but it’s back and lately, friends say, she hasn’t felt so good.

“She was having a tough time breathing and walking around the house was just really hard on her,” sorority sister, April Broaders said.

“This was someone that I felt we needed to rally around in a dark time for her,” she said.

Stacy’s daughter Shannon is the woman behind the camera in the now-viral video.

She says Stacy endured surgery Wednesday and this unexpected gesture came at the perfect time.

“Despite social distancing, we can show up and find ways to support one another,” she said.

So, when Stacy’s granddaughter called her to the lawn Sunday, things got emotional.

What was intended to be a private boost, ended up on social media seen thousands of times?

Stacy’s friends and family say it resonates for a reason.

The coronavirus, social distancing, fear, wasn’t going to stop this group of women from holding close to what matters most.

And neither should you.

Friends and family tell FOX 5’s Alex Whittler Franklin is recovering from surgery, doing well and should be released from the hospital over the next couple of days.