City officials, farmers market vendors, friends, and local business owners gathered last night on the patio at South Plains Food Company to celebrate, honor, and support Nita Edwards.

Nita is the blue-eyed, energetic coordinator of the weekly Zachary Farmers & Artisans Market. She’s also living with terminal cancer—which you’d never guess from her spirited presence. Just last weekend, she wore a globe costume at the market for Earth Day. A few weeks before that, she played the Easter Bunny. Last night, she was in great spirits, smiling, laughing, and lighting up the gathering with her signature warmth.

Diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer in 2014, Nita recently learned it has metastasized. “I have breast cancer in my brain!” she explained matter-of-factly. “My spine, too!”

She’s now being treated with a special chemotherapy called ENHERTU, one of the few drugs that can cross the blood-brain barrier and target the cancer where it has spread. Her previous treatments couldn’t do that. “I feel like I’m playing whack-a-mole!” she laughed, describing how her oncologists rotate treatments to address new areas of concern.

“I’m so sorry it’s you,” a friend told her. “Why not me?” Nita replied. “I’ve been on extra time for years. I got 100 cycles—100 months—out of the treatmen

ts. I’ve been given a lot of time to do a lot of good things. And travel!” she added, sharing her plans for a family trip to Key West in August.

The evening wasn’t a fundraiser—Nita gratefully notes she has “great insurance”—but in the future, she hopes to rally the community to raise funds for others with brain cancer who can’t afford treatment.

In conjunction with the event, Mayor David McDavid issued a proclamation declaring May as Brain Cancer Awareness Month in Zachary, highlighting the urgent need for education and advocacy. Brain cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths, yet research remains significantly underfunded. Throughout the month of May, residents are encouraged to support survivors and their families, amplify advocacy efforts, and wear gray to show solidarity.

As the community continues to gather at beloved spots like the farmers market and celebrate the strength of small businesses—the backbone of Zachary—citizens are also urged to educate themselves about brain cancer and help bring national attention to this critical health issue.

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