From Service to Survival: A Veteran’s Triumph Over Breast Cancer By Paris Moulden, Wounded Warrior Project Maria Edwards loved serving in the Navy. She loved the structure, the rhythm of the sea, and the camaraderie with her fellow sailors. But in 2021, during her 19th year of service, she received a diagnosis that changed everything: aggressive, late-stage breast cancer. Maria’s first thoughts weren’t of herself, but of her crew. “I still wanted to do my job because, to be honest, it was hard not being able to go on ship every day and see the sailors [I served with] and make sure that they are taken care of,” Maria said. Over the course of 23 years in the Navy, Maria deployed multiple times. She led with compassion and strength each time, carrying her sense of duty like a second skin. But during her deployment in 2021, life shifted in a way her military training hadn’t prepared her for. As she faced one of her toughest battles yet, Maria discovered a new kind of support system through the life-changing programs and services offered by Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP). A Military Calling
Maria grew up guided by her great-grandfather, who inspired her sense of patriotism and her choice to serve in the military. “He’s one of the people that I really looked up to, and I thought joining the military would make him proud,” Maria said. “And it really did because not many females in our family went to the military.” After high school, Maria joined the Navy. As an information technician, she managed secure communications between ships and the shore. For her, the Navy was more than a career; it was a calling. “I really like being able to make an impact on the sailors,” Maria said. “Even to this day, I have sailors contacting me and telling me when they’ve advanced and things like that. So, for me, it’s being able to be there for someone, even now that I’m not in the military, I’m still helping other veterans, and that’s a big thing for me.” During a deployment in 2021, Maria noticed an unfamiliar lump during a routine self-exam. She didn’t immediately think of breast cancer. She was young and had no other symptoms. She planned to have it checked after returning from deployment, but by February 2022, when she finally did, the cancer had spread. 20
HomelandMagazine.com / March 2026
A Different Kind of Battle
Maria’s treatment began immediately. Chemotherapy. Surgeries. Radiation. She tried to keep working through it all, clinging to the military life that sustained her for two decades. Continuing to work helped her focus on something other than her illness. She also didn’t want to leave her team in a bind. “I had already started chemotherapy, so it was pretty hard going to work every day on the ship,” Maria said. “But I asked to stay for a little bit, maybe like a month, so I could get someone else trained for my role.” With the Navy’s support, Maria continued her work on shore command. “It helped me to be around people and feel like I was wanted there,” she said. For two years, she underwent extensive treatment — six rounds of chemo, multiple surgeries including the removal of 10 lymph nodes, 25 rounds of radiation. The cancer also left her with a diminished range of motion in her arm and neck, requiring occupational therapy. Through it all, she had one constant, her mother. Maria’s mom relocated to Hawaii to support her. But six months into Maria’s treatment, doctors diagnosed her mom with breast cancer. Though it was less aggressive than Maria’s and diagnosed early, suddenly, Maria became the caregiver. “My role as a service member and daughter who was getting cared for had to be reversed. I was caring for her,” Maria said. Expanding Her Support System
Maria tried to stay positive for her family, especially her mom, but it wasn’t easy. She was facing the physical and emotional toll of cancer while trying to cope with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Even after going into remission, she worried constantly about recurrence. Finding an outlet to improve her physical and mental health became a priority. “What I did really appreciate at the time is that I got involved with Navy Wounded Warrior, and then they actually got me started with Wounded Warrior Project,” Maria said. “That’s what really helped me a lot.”