Mother and son survivors share inspiration, passion for cancer prevention

William Lindley has been watching his mother, Faye Wright, deal with cancer for more than 25 years. He was only a teenager when she was diagnosed with stage IV adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) in her right breast. This rare head and neck cancer usually appears in the salivary glands.  

Since then, William has seen his mother face three different recurrences. He’s also watched her undergo radiation therapy and multiple major surgeries to keep the cancer at bay.  

Now, he is drawing inspiration from his mother’s experiences as he faces his own stage IV colorectal cancer diagnosis.  

“In a weird way, it’s been a blessing to see her navigate it,” William says. “Her journey was so rigorous, but she’s a strong woman and a warrior. I knew if she could do it, I could do it.” 

Faye also draws strength from her son. “It’s been hard to watch him suffer,” she admits. “But it’s so inspiring to see him come through it. I consider it a blessing that we’re experiencing this together.” 

Coincidences and choices led to cancer treatment at MD Anderson

Though no common thread or genetic mutation links their diseases, both William and Faye learned that they had cancer at the same time of year and when they were about the same age. William had turned 38 a few months before his diagnosis in January 2022, while Faye was 39 at the time of her diagnosis in January 2000. 

Both deliberately sought treatment at MD Anderson: William from gastrointestinal medical oncologist Christine Parseghian, M.D., and his mother from orthopedic surgical oncologist Valerae Lewis, M.D.

“I told William he would meet some of the most important people in his life at MD Anderson,” recalls Faye. “Nobody knew what to do about adenoid cystic carcinoma near our home in Mississippi. But Dr. Lewis has given me the best possible outcome with every surgery. I can still do anything I want to now, except maybe run. And, I’m still here, 25 years later. So, I really can’t say enough good things about MD Anderson.” 

Learning from each other

Before William’s cancer diagnosis, the most important advice his mother ever gave him was to listen to his body. That’s what finally prompted him to investigate the change in bowel habits that was making his job in law enforcement difficult. 

“I was having to go to the bathroom quite a bit,” William recalls. “Otherwise, I was pretty healthy. So, I tried to dismiss my symptoms as irritable bowel syndrome. Eventually, I had to do something about it. So, I tell everyone now to pay attention and advocate for themselves. You’re the only person who truly knows what’s going on inside of you.” 

After each of William’s surgeries, Faye also advised him to become active as quickly as possible, so that he would heal faster. “Don’t just sit there,” he recalls her saying. “Get up and start walking.” 

Faye, meanwhile, has started eating healthier, inspired by the dietary changes she’s watched her son and his family make to reduce his risk of the cancer coming back. “He’s been a lot faster on the lifestyle stuff than I have,” she admits. “So, I’m actually learning from him these days.” 

Paying it forward

William has shown no evidence of disease since January 2025. Faye is currently exploring treatment options for a small new cluster of tumors discovered recently beneath her right breast. But both are determined to keep spreading the word about body awareness and prevention.  

William’s diagnosis has already led four of his colleagues to get colorectal cancer screenings. Another is about to have a colonoscopy. 

“It’s great to know that my journey is helping others,” says William.  

“I was too young to have regular screening mammograms at the time of my diagnosis,” adds Faye. “But you can bet that I started getting them afterward. Now, I get so many scans per year that it would be hard for something to slip by. Still, I don’t put anything off. If a screening protocol exists for a particular disease, I get checked out as soon as I can. And, I tell everyone else to do the same.”  

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