Through good times and bad: Love endures for Bobby and Janie Cantrell

By WILL STEWART / Staff Reporter for the Southern Standard (McMinnville, Tenn.)

Through almost 30 years of marriage Bobby and Janie Cantrell have encountered many ups and downs, including Janie’s cancer, but say they only keep getting closer. (Will Stewart photo)

For better or for worse. In these days of lax divorce laws, this traditional wedding vow doesn’t seem to carry much weight. But when Bobby Cantrell made this promise 30 years ago to his wife, Janie, he meant it without reservation.

Like all marriages, the Cantrell’s has had its good times and its bad. One of the low points came in 1997, when Janie was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, a form of lymphoid cancer which at present is incurable. In the years that have followed the diagnosis she has been in and out of remission. But through the bouts of chemotherapy, the sometimes daily trips to Nashville and the physical and emotional pain, the two say their marriage has only grown stronger.

“He’s fabulous,” said Janie. “When the cancer causes the side of my face to swell and the chemo causes my hair to fall out, he still tells me I’m beautiful. That’s the kind of love you should have.”

Bobby remembered that when he asked for Janie’s hand in marriage, her father, who was dying of cancer at the time, made him promise to always take care of her.

“And he’s been a man of his word,” said Janie.

“We put our trust in the Lord and he’s taken care of us,” said Bobby. “Life has its problems and you deal with them. We always knew there would be rough times, but that there would be good times too. We’ve grown a lot closer.”

Aside from the travel to doctors visits and occasional chemotherapy and other treatments, Janie said the cancer hasn’t slowed her down. She says she’s able to do whatever she wants to do and to keep her job as the PE teacher at Bobby Ray Elementary.

Asked how she treats her malady with regard to her students, she said she is very open with them and they have been very accepting.

“The kids will sometimes ask if I’m going to die and I’ll tell them yes, but that we’re all going to die some day and not to worry about it because I don’t worry about it,” she said.

“If I dwell on the negative, if I lose track of the day-to-day things, the cancer wins. If I live normally, even if I die, I still win because I will have lived the way I wanted to. You can’t live in the negative. It’s a waste of time. I want people to know they should always have hope.”

In an effort to spread such hope, the Cantrells have become involved with Relay for Life, the signature fundraising event of the American Cancer Society. As one of the local event’s spokespeople, Janie said she looks forward to doing whatever she’s able to do to contribute to the fight against cancer and hopes others will do the same, not just for her benefit, but for the benefit of the millions of cancer victims and survivors nationwide.

She encourages anyone wishing to get involved to attend Warren County Relay for Life’s kick-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at Westwood Church of Christ.