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Women often have a tendency to take care of everyone -- but themselves.

When retired educator Mary Ann Yarborough discovered a lump in her breast about two and a half years ago, she ignored it.

"That was a big mistake," Yarborough says. She advises other women to aggressively follow up on potentially dangerous symptoms.

The Mary Ann Yarborough School Annex was named a few years ago in Yarborough's honor at Peck Elementary School. A true professional, dedicated to teaching children for 43 years, she touched the lives of more than 1,500 students during her career.

In retirement, she looked forward to doing all the things she didn't have time for while teaching. A perfectionist, her teaching career consumed her life.

Yarborough's sister died from brain cancer, so when she felt a breast lump, she was afraid to tell anyone, see a doctor or have a mammogram. She knew a lump might mean surgery and radiation, and that was not how she wanted to spend her retirement.

Instead, Yarborough planned to give the women and UMW of Centenary United Methodist Church the focus of her time, effort and energy.

Through Yarborough's efforts as UMW vice president, the attendance at UMW brunches, luncheons and dinners practically doubled, and she received many accolades for her tireless efforts.

"Mary Ann is one of those rare individuals who has the ability to organize, inspire and execute any endeavor in which she participates," said Pastor emeritus Don Ellis of Yarborough's many contributions to the church.

During retirement, she also enjoyed taking regular classes at the Shepherd's Center's Adventure in Learning, attending activities of First Presbyterian Church, Lecture League and the Guilford Battleground DAR.

She enjoyed her "Sunday go to lunch bunch," in which there was shared lively, stimulating conversations.

Her second year as UMW vice president, Yarborough discovered the suspicious breast lump while showering. "The area generated heat and itched," she said.

"For weeks, I existed in a state of self-denial, fearing I might have cancer and all that would entail," Yarborough said.

She made excuses to herself: "I have a brunch, luncheon or dinner to plan. I'll just take care of this cancer tomorrow." Each day, the decision to see a doctor was put off.

This summer, Yarborough knew she had waited too long to take proper care of herself. She was tired most of the time, felt weak, weary and worn out.

Also, she began to notice a sense of heaviness, a feeling of tightness or weakness in her left arm. Some days, she was unable to raise her arm above her head.

By September, she felt so poorly she stopped attending Sunday school. She also stopped seeing and communicating with friends.

The word was out: "What has happened to Mary Ann?"

By mid-September, her good friends Barbara Stewart and Judy Wilson were allowed to visit her. They noticed her weary condition and Stewart asked her directly, Yarborough recalls, "Are you on chemo?"

"No, but I should be," Yarborough replied.

The secrets she had held inside were released that day. Stewart told her that if she didn't have an oncologist that she would bring one to her home. When she brought a retired High Point oncologist to see her, the doctor assured Yarborough that even though she had neglected her condition, she was still treatable.

This good news brought tears of joy to Yarborough's eyes.

She had hope for the first time in months. Looking back to what she describes as "the worst of times," she thought that perhaps "the best of times" might still come. She was willing to undergo whatever treatment doctors recommended to help her survive.

She was told radiation therapy would first be needed to shrink the large tumor.

Her husband had died years before, and she had no children or family nearby to help her.

"The two women who came to save me, Barbara Stewart and Judy Wilson, were designated as my primary caregivers," Yarborough said.

As soon as the news about her condition got out, church members and other women came forward to form teams for bringing meals, transportation, doctor appointments, radiation, grocery shopping, pharmacy needs and many other needed visits.

Also, her nephew and his family came from Tennessee to help her.

Yarborough is now loved and cared for by many people, including Centenary's Ellis and his wife, Clara, who visit or call daily.

A recent MRI revealed that the cancer has spread to Yarborough's brain. She was given three options: brain surgery, total brain radiation or a non-invasive brain surgery, offered only at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

She chose the state-of-the-art gamma knife brain surgery, which is not a knife at all but a method of delivering ultra-precise radiation to destroy tumors.

This treatment procedure, which spares the healthy surrounding brain tissue from radiation, has now begun.

Yarborough is a woman of courage. "The strength to stand up when it's easier to fall down and lose hold" might describe courage. In everyone's life, there comes a time when our courage is tested.

Yarborough feels her faith is greater now than ever before. "I feel like a completely transformed person who has developed a new personal relationship with God," she said. Though her future is uncertain, whatever comes her way, Yarborough appears to have the faith and strength to deal with it.

To contact Peggy Longmire, e-mail her at rlongmire@triad.rr.com or call her at 288-9040.