October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and although we could have shared Meredith’s story any time...this month seemed like an appropriate one to do so.

Meredith wears many hats our customers and followers can relate to...Navy Brat, Army Spouse, mother of 2. But those who know her can attest she wears some specialty hats, as well. Meredith is a friend to so many...she knows no strangers.  She is a volunteer extraordinaire...serving on multiple Spouse Club Boards throughout her military spouse tenure, and shares her time and talents with several religious and military organizations. She is a force to be reckoned with in support of Operation Deploy Your Dress, is an entrepreneur, and lastly...is the hostess with the mostest.

Meredith’s time as a Military Child and a Military Spouse has provided many enduring life lessons. One of the first was, “Being able to make friends. I knew I would have to be brave and meet/introduce myself to others instead of waiting for the “maybe” of meetings others stretched out over a long time. As a military spouse, it’s the same. I can’t wait for neighbors to introduce themselves to me when we move into a new home – it might never happen! So, just like as a child, I put on my smile and ring the doorbell of my new neighbor.” This was a lesson well learned, as Meredith is known and loved by many!

Meredith says her most memorable moments as a Military Spouse are attending Deployment Welcome Home events. “Even if it is not my soldier coming home, I cry with sheer joy at all the happy reunions.” She also says, “reintegration is hard. After each deployment I have had to re-learn being a couple again partially because we have also become new people.”

If Meredith could offer any advice to a new Military Spouse, she offers this: “Be patient. The military will ask some pretty strange/weird/hard things of your service member, have patience with how that will no doubt affect your life and your relationship.”

This is the part where we tie Meredith’s story to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. All of these life lessons provided a strong base for Meredith. She has built a strong network of friends. She loves them hard...and it is reciprocated. She recognizes challenges and faces them head first. She adapts and overcomes. She is patient...and offers herself grace. She is vivacious, tenacious, and resolute.

In September of 2014, Meredith was diagnosed with breast cancer. She survived three rounds of neoadjuvant chemo, a double mastectomy, four rounds more of chemo and breast reconstruction. Then there were two years of hormone therapy and a time when she thought she was "done" with cancer.

Unfortunately, September of 2018 brought the diagnosis of metastatic cancer. A new (to her) strain invaded her bones (through to the marrow), her lungs, her liver, her lungs and the meninges of her brain. She survived a year of weekly chemo, and is now on hormone therapy.

She shares her story and lessons learned freely, and without hesitation. Her hope is to make sure everyone faced with a diagnosis of breast cancer knows they are not alone in their journey. She often refers to herself as a Breast Cancer “Thriver”. She is gracious in the moments she needs a pause...but continues to live her best life with all the vivaciousness, tenacity, and resoluteness she is known for.

I, for one, know that my life is better for having Meredith Hummel in it...and hope she continues to thrive for a long time to come.

We invite you to go over to our Stories From the Kitchen where we have added a Pink Warrior Cake Recipe in honor of Meredith. In addition, Meredith has shared her Tomato Dill Soup with us- perfect for those chilly October nights.