VINEYARD, Utah — When Jyrl Oldham was pronounced cancer-free in August, she knew she had to do something big to celebrate.
Oldham, a mother of three from Vineyard, Utah, was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2021. She was pregnant at the time.
“She started treatments ASAP after her daughter was born in August 2021,” her friend Valeri Jones said. “After almost passing away during one of her treatments, she thought a vacation was necessary to prove to cancer it hadn’t won.”
Her family told her they’d send her to Hawaii when she beat her cancer.
She, Jones and another friend had boarded their Southwest Airlines flight when she got the surprise that her husband had arranged for her with the airline.
The captain came on the intercom and announced: “I would like to add a special welcome to a special guest on today’s flight. We have a passenger who’s headed to Hawaii with us today to celebrate her victory over late-stage breast cancer.
“She fought valiantly and is now cancer-free. Please join me in giving her, Jyrl Oldham, a round of applause.”
In an interview on “ABC World News Tonight with David Muir,” Oldham said: “They didn’t know me, but they were all just — I could just feel the love. I could feel the support.”
The message she took from that?
“You’re not alone. There are so many people out there who are rooting for you, and that helps you to be so much stronger than you ever thought you could be.”
