Albany-born veteran prepares for breast cancer surgery after 28 years of Army service

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) — Col. Marcie Fulford has spent 28 years in the U.S. Army Reserve. Now, as she prepares for breast cancer surgery, she says the people she served with are helping her through it.Fulford, an Albany native and Albany High School graduate, returned from an overseas deployment on July 3. A little more than two months later, on Sept. 18, she learned she had breast cancer. It was the day before her 54th birthday. She is preparing for surgery on Nov. 17.Fulford says the news was hard to take, especially after spending so much time away from her family. But having a treatment plan, along with her faith and support from loved ones, has helped her prepare.“I’ve survived a war, and now, what, I’m not going to survive a disease?” Fulford said.Fulford was working as a travel nurse when a friend encouraged her to join the Army Reserve. At first, she joined to help pay off her nursing school loans. But she says she got more out of her service than financial help.Over the years, Ful