Truth Wins, Seriously! – The Story of Debbie Cantrell

On this episode of Truth Wins, Seriously! host Valarie Howe sits down with Debbie Cantrell, a woman whose life journey moves from trauma and hopelessness to leadership, healing, and purpose.Debbie shares that her sense of worth was damaged early in life, followed by decades in a domestic violence marriage. She describes seasons when she could barely get out of bed and believed she had no future. A turning point came when a friend urged her to reread the messages in her high school yearbook. Those handwritten notes reminded her that she was valued and loved, and she began rebuilding her life one small productive task at a time.Community helped her heal. Joining the Lions Club gave her purpose again, and she soon became an active leader. Her service led to milestones that once felt unimaginable: first female Lions president in Lebanon, District Governor in Sydney, speaker at the United Nations and in South Korea, and in 2024 she was elected as one of only 34 International Directors worldwide.Just after reaching that milestone Debbie faced her hardest test yet: a diagnosis of stage four ovarian cancer. Scans showed a baseball sized tumor and cancer spread throughout her abdomen. Before treatment began someone close to her asked if she was holding onto unforgiveness. Debbie says releasing it brought immediate peace and she believes it was part of her healing journey.She endured 18 rounds of chemotherapy, hair loss, weakness, and fear. Her husband, daughters, grandchildren, and thousands of people prayed, encouraged, and supported her through every step. Then came the news doctors struggled to explain: the tumor was gone. Her scans cleared and her numbers returned to normal. Today she is cancer free, undergoing routine tests and port flushes to stay ahead of any return.Debbie’s story is one of identity restored, faith strengthened, and truth prevailing. From childhood wounds to international leadership and from a devastating diagnosis to complete healing, her life stands as a reminder that truth wins. Seriously.