Special Interest

Ruby Saggus

The Georgia Cancer Study’s goal is to recruit 140,000 cancer-free Georgians to join a study designed to find the causes of cancer and eventually the cure.  On a recent recruitment trip with the Georgia Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Conference we met an extraordinary woman.  Ruby Saggus could not participate in our study, but she provided us with her inspiration, encouragement, and humor to help us on our way to understand the causes of cancer.  Her life has been nothing short of hard, yet she always manages to wear a smile and to keep a positive outlook.

Ruby, who is 67 years old, has been dealt a challenging life from an early age.  At six months, she was diagnosed with polio and ever since she has had to wear braces; however, her distinguished limp adds character to her warm personality.  She has been battling cancer, one form or another, for over 25 years.  In 1982, she had three quarters of her stomach and part of her intestine removed to fight stomach cancer.  In 1992, she had a full mastectomy to battle breast cancer.  In 1997 and again in 2006, she was diagnosed with bladder cancer.  She is a warrior who never gives up.  In addition to her own cancer, two of her brothers passed away from cancer.  Although cancer seems to be a constant in her life, she doesn’t forget to laugh.  Laughter, it seems, cures the soul and, according to Ruby, her cancer.  It is her goal to bring mirth everywhere she goes.  “If I can make one person laugh a day, I’ve accomplished something in my life.”

Ruby has been through some difficult times, yet she feels so very blessed.  As far as she knows, she is now cancer-free.   In her battle with stomach cancer, doctors gave her six months to live, but she “fought to live for [her] children.”  In return, her family and friends have given her so much support, including her four children. 

Cancer and polio do not slow her down; in her own words, she is a “party animal”.  We met Ruby with a drink in her hands and a smile on her face.  She is a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Lake City, GA.  She calls and plays bingo every Tuesday and Friday, and in her free time she carves and paints wood figures.  “I enjoy making things out of wood and I want to keep doing that ‘til I can’t do it no more.”  Her message to others who face cancer is to “be strong and believe in God.  When God takes something away, He always gives you something back.  He has given me so much, including a good personality.”

One of our goals, through the Georgia Cancer Study, is to find ways to prevent cancer.  We hope Ruby’s story will inspire people to help us toward this goal!

Ruby Saggus at VFW conference