Front and Center: Alice Chaney Herndon

On April 28, 2025, Alice Chaney Herndon was heading home to Madison from work as director of adult nursing services at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, looking forward to time with husband Drew and sons Parker, 17, and Anderson, 13.

“I remember we were going to make hamburgers for dinner,” she said.

Then the pain started.

“It was the worst headache I’ve ever had,” she said. “It felt like my head was in a vice. I got in bed and prayed, ‘Lord, take this pain away.’”

By 2 a.m., when the pain was only getting worse and was accompanied by severe nausea, she went to the Emergency Department at UMMC. A CT scan was followed by an MRI and then a PET scan, revealing a brain tumor.

“Up until that headache, I had no symptoms,” she said. “I think this was the Lord’s way of getting my attention and getting me to emergency care.”

The tumor, an IDH mutant astrocytoma, is one that started in a glial cell, which normally supports neurons, maintains the blood-brain barrier and regulates neurotransmission. In an IDH-mutant astrocytoma, the tumor cells can move into nearby healthy tissue. The star shape of these tumors makes them difficult to remove.

Dr. Chad Washington, chair of neurosurgery, was on call that night.

“In my role as a neurosurgeon, I meet many patients at vulnerable moments,” he said. “Rarely do I encounter that moment with someone who is also a trusted coworker and a member of my faith community. Alice Chaney’s strength and grace that day reminded me why we do this work.”

Herndon said having Washington help her understand her condition and find a way forward was comforting to her and her family.

Ten days after her diagnosis, Herndon underwent a craniotomy at UMMC so a biopsy of her tumor could be done.

“It was right before Mother’s Day, so I could decide whether to do this before or after,” she said. “I had surgery on May 9 and was discharged from the hospital on Mother’s Day, May 11.”

To fight what was determined to be a fast-growing grade 3 tumor, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were recommended by oncologists at the UMMC Cancer Center and Research Institute. Herndon celebrated completion of 33 rounds of radiation by ringing the bell Aug. 18, and she’ll complete chemotherapy this month.

Dr. Eswar Mundra, an assistant professor and program director in radiation oncology, was part of the health care team treating Herndon at UMMC.

“Throughout her entire course of treatment, she remained in good spirits and was always accompanied by supportive family members,” he said. “During her weekly on-treatment review visits on Mondays, she was consistently cheerful and positive, maintaining her optimism and never losing hope. Understandably, during the final two weeks of radiation, when the side effects became more pronounced, she experienced moments of feeling low and somewhat overwhelmed. With ongoing education and reassurance at each visit, however, she took these challenges in stride and faced them with remarkable grace.”

Herndon’s nursing background shaped the way she faced cancer, Mundra said. “As a health care professional, she brought both insight and resilience to her treatment journey.”

Reaching the first anniversary of her cancer diagnosis has given Herndon a deep sense of gratitude.

"This has been so hard,” she said. “We have boys, and I want to see them grow up.”

She wears a rubber bracelet with Ephesians 3:20 printed on it as a reminder of her faith. “One thing I have always said during this journey is that it’s my story for his glory.”

Leann Harcharik, a nurse manager who retired from Wiser Hospital for Women and Infants at UMMC earlier this year, has known Herndon as a supervisor, colleague and friend.

"Alice Chaney is a one-of-a-kind leader," she said. "I knew when she became manager of the Mother Baby Unit that she was going to be one of the best. We worked side by side for several years before she was promoted to director. She has always been 100% supportive of us. She not only cared about me as a manager, but also as a friend. Even since retiring, we have continued to stay in touch weekly."

The day Herndon told her coworkers about her cancer was one Harcharik said she'll never forget. "It felt like a punch in the gut," she said. "As she sat us down to talk about it, she found herself comforting us more than we were comforting her. Through it all, she has never lost her faith or given up hope. She has remained strong, inspiring and full of grace every step of the way."

Throughout Herndon's cancer fight, she’s continued working at the Medical Center, where she’s been an employee for 21 years.

“I’ve spent my entire career here. I love my job,” she said, "and I’m grateful for the resources here. UMMC is Mississippi’s only academic medical center, so all the experts and specialists I needed were here.”

Jason Zimmerman, chief nursing officer for UMMC’s adult hospitals, said Herndon’s leadership, strength and faith have been unwavering during her cancer journey.

“She has stayed completely engaged, committed to the success of her teams and ensured that our patients receive the best care that we can provide,” he said. “As her supervisor and friend, Alice Chaney has inspired me in a number of ways, both professionally and spiritually throughout her journey. At a time where she has every understandable reason to take a step back and focus on her personal well-being, she has chosen to pour into others and continue to be the exceptional leader and person that she is. We are all better because of that.”