Regina Swarn Audio Series Presents - Caregiving, Grief, and Grace: A Faith-Fueled Journey

Episode Date: October 12, 2025

Fan MailA quiet truth runs through this conversation: when one person is diagnosed with cancer, the whole family feels it. We sit down with Minister Jaretta  Ford—niece, caregiver, single mom—to talk about stage 4 lung cancer in a non‑smoker, the gritty reality of home care during COVID, and the slow, invisible toll of depression that can shadow even the most faithful hearts. It’s raw without being bleak, honest without losing hope, and grounded in the small daily rituals that restore dignity and keep a household standing.Jaretta opens up about bathing and dressing her mother when weakness set in, the late‑night prayers, and the moments of joy that broke through—a smile after a sponge bath, a grandson who learned to fluff pillows just right, lollipops shared shoulder to shoulder. We widen the lens to the mental health cost of caregiving: sleeplessness, irritability, isolation, and the point where “I’m fine” no longer holds. Long before her mother’s illness, Jaretta wrestled with low self‑worth, harmful relationships, and a suicide attempt that ended on a hospital’s sixth floor—a survival she names as grace. The host shares her own diagnosed nervous breakdown after a sister’s death, underscoring that depression is real, common, and treatable.Amid loss, faith becomes a framework for action, not a shortcut around pain. We talk about building a quiet space for prayer and reflection, asking for help without shame, and honoring memory as medicine. We also spotlight the nonprofit Hope for Healing—its name born of fasting, prayer, and a mission to walk with people through illness, grief, and recovery. If you’re caring for someone you love, or carrying a weight no one else can see, there’s something here for you: practical encouragement, language for what hurts, and proof that small acts—the kind you can do today—change the temperature of a hard season.If this resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs strength, and leave a review so others can find these stories. Then tell us: what’s one ritual that helps you hold on to hope?Contact Sister Jaretta Belowhttp://[e-mail] for 🌟  A message from me to all my wonderful  followers.  Please  feel free to share your feedback. Click fan mail and leave me comments.  The end of my showSupport the showContact [e-mail]

To Regina Soaring, audio series presents bringing you stories of people from all walks of life. If you would like to support this podcast, feel free. Your support helps keep the channel running. You can also support the channel by becoming a monthly subscriber. And last but not least, feel free to share with your friends. If one of these podcasts touch your heart and it resonate with your heart, please share with your family and friends. Now let's take you into an episode of Regina Swarned Audio Series. Welcome back to another episode of Regina Swine Audio Series presents.

We know that this is the month of October and this month every year, Here we celebrate, or I shouldn't say celebrate, but we have breast cancer awareness. But I guess I kind of like to call it cancer awareness, you know. But anyway, we're going to talk about a little bit of that today as well as depression and a couple of other things we'll be talking about. I have a wonderful guest on today. She has gone through so many things. And she's still standing.

You know, she's still standing through the grace of God. And I'm just so happy to have her on today to tell her testimony and tell a little bit about how she helped care for her mom. You know, she was one of the caregivers for her mom. But she's going to talk about her own life as well, how she herself went through depression. I would have to say long before her mom. me and got sick. She went through a depression. So we're going to talk a little bit about that today.

So welcome again to Regina Sworn Audio Series presents. If you'd like to contact the show or like to be on the show, please send me an email at Swarin Regina at gmail.com. Now we welcome a wonderful guest, Sister Minister Joretta Ford. Good morning, Treta. Good morning. How are you? I'm great. How are you doing this morning? How are you feeling this morning?

I'm feeling wonderful, well-rested. I'm really good. Well, I am so pleased to have you on. You know, we've talked about this. I think we've talked about this over the years having you on to tell your story. And now we got the opportunity to do that. And I'm just so happy to have you here with me to tell your story. and, you know, it's kind of a sad story, but at the same time, it's a story of joy and inspiration. So I would love for you to talk a little bit about yourself. Tell us a little bit about yourself, first and foremost. Well, I am, of course, my name is Joretta, and I come from, you know, a family, what kind of a big family? You know, I have five other siblings, and I am a mother of one, and they're a mother of one, and

18-year-old. And I hail from a town called Macon, Georgia, is the fourth largest city in Georgia. So it's not too small, but it's not too big either. And, you know, I just, I come from a very diverse background, you know. But it's just a little bit about me. Wow. Now, you know, Jureta, you know, this is Breast Cancer Month. This is, um, I like to call it. I don't know why when I talk about birth cancer, I can't help talk about cancer because I know of so many friends, even in our family.

I didn't say this. Geretta is my niece, y'all. Sorry. Geretta is my niece. I, you know, I should have said that because I'm with him about to say it's going to fall into lying with them to say. But Gerrata is my niece, her mom, Her beautiful mom is with the Lord right now, but, you know, her mom is my sister.

And Geretta is my niece. And so, you know, we've been talking about doing this for a while, but we do have a history in our family of cancer, in our family. And we're not going to claim it. We're not claiming it. But in our family, in our family, tree, would you have, you know, a history of cancer, you know. And, you can't you? Yes. So, you know, I myself personally have never gone through it.

But, you know, like you just said, my mother, that risk her beautiful soul, she endured it. And one, the thing of it is about cancer, when the person who has cancer is diagnosed with it, the whole family has it because it impacts the whole. family. True. You know, so she, man, she was a warrior, you know, being the person to watch her.

She was a woman of God, of course, but being a person to watch her, how she endured, excuse me, all of the shots, all of the doctor visits, all of the chemo, all of the radiation. She had about, I want to say, either five or six tumors on the brain. that God had shrank without radiation. No, he just shranked them because of her faith, you know, and his word. And it wasn't a dull moment, you know, even during her battle in the beginning, when we first found out she was diagnosed with, she started out with stage four. And with stage four, I know, right?

Stage 4 lung cancer, no, she was never a smoker. She was never a smoker. Wow, yeah. That's true. You know, she never complained about the diagnosis. She knew immediately that God was going to heal her, whether it be on this side or the other side. Thank you, Jesus. know, it was just amazing to watch her go through all that she did.

She was still saying her songs for the Lord, you know, raise up praises unto the Lord. You know, she would still, you know, just endure so many things. Right. And I was just blessed to be able just to be there. 95, my son and I actually, because we all live in the same house. but my son and I 95.5% of the time were there to care for her

until I wouldn't trade that for anything. Wow. And another thing, when you said about the tumors, you know, on the brain, and I didn't know that, you know, we knew she was sick.

I didn't know she had the tumors tumors like that on the brain. And, you know, she never smoked. You know, you got you guys, I listen to this. She never smoked, so you don't have to be a smoker, you know, to get the lung cancer. I don't exactly know where it comes from, but she was not a smoker.

She never smoked. And, you know, since we're talking about that, you know, my sister, you know, she actually died of birth cancer, you know. She, you know, that's another family member right there, you know, two sisters right there. and she passed away from breast cancer itself. And it was a tough time. It was just a very, very, very tough time. And sometimes you just don't never know, you know,

you just don't never know what life is going to throw at you, but you have to step the will of God. You have to step God's will. And, you know, back to you, Geretta, I don't want to take away from your story. back to you and your mom, your mom, again, she wasn't a smoker. And a lot of times people think that you have to be a smoker to get long cancer. And you really don't have to be a smoker at all.

Your mom did not smoke. You know where I shop? I shop right online, right from the comfort of my own home. At Duno's perception. For the latest in fashion, clothing, shoes, bags, accessories, and so much more. Shop www. Dot dunamusperception.com Elevate your vision.

Tell them I sent you. No, she didn't. She was really an angel here on earth is what she was. And she just, like I said, she endured that trial, that fiery trial that she had to face. You know, and she won, you know. Right. But it brought about a lot of change. I'm not going to, you know, sugarcoat anything.

It was challenging. It was challenging being, you know, her primary caretaker because I still had to be a mom. You know, I still had to be there for my son. I still had to work or try to work. But I gave up working to care for her. And this was during 2020 when COVID was on the rise. Right. It was bad.

Yeah. It was really bad. And so not only did I battle at that time. job loss. I battled losing, you know, we battled losing our grandmother in January 2020. And like you just talked about your sister, my aunt Laura, in July 2020. And then, of course, my mom passed in November 2020, November 3rd, actually. And so all these emotions, you know, come flooding back. But, you know, I battled depression at that time as well. because being without a job and bills were going up, you don't know how you're going to pay them,

but still you see your mother, you know, that needs to be based. She needs her medicine. She needs her meals every day. So you go through this internal thing like, God, where are you? You know, you go through this thing like, Lord, I need help. And I needed rest as well. And so there are many times And nights that I cried out to God

And God to help me You know, give me strength Give me what to do Give me how to do it And do it with love Because Right Because we're on the subject of that

You went through depression You went through a great depression During the time of your mom's illness And afterwards, you know And that's what you're speaking of And we know, you know, I want to know more about that because I know we talked about it before, but touched on it a little bit. But, yeah, I'm going to like to know more.

I love my audience to know more because when you got a sick person that you're caring for, if people don't think that they think that you're healthy, then you're going to be all right. If they're sick, you're going to be okay. But it really breaks your body down little by little. And I know you went through depression. I want to hear about that. You was about to tell that. And I'm sorry.

interrupted, so please proceed with that. I want to hear that. Well, you know, I found myself, you know, I didn't realize I was depressed until I noticed that I wasn't sleeping until I noticed that I would be easily angered at other people, you know, or constantly crying, you know, crying because,

not because I had to be a caretaker, but crying because, you know, I wanted to heal my mother's pain, You know, I wanted to make her better. So that along with seeing my son cry because of the situation, that made me depressed, you know, and I didn't want to go anywhere, didn't want to do anything. I constantly stayed around my mother as if somehow being around her, she wouldn't leave here, you know? Why not? As if, like, I could be her protector. Right.

You know, so that's how that was, depression is real. It is real. And I've been through it many times in my life. It is real. I mean, I know you touched on a couple other times that you went through it, you know, even some years before your mom took sick, you know. And we're kind of jumping to, we're kind of jumping the rails a little bit here,

but we're also speaking about depression a little bit today as well. And, you know, you've been through some rough times, Geretta. You've been to some very rough times that I didn't even know about. I didn't even know about some of the things that you had gone through. And I hate to say that, but can you tell us about it? I mean, it's something that I feel like people need to hear these stories because it helps people. Oh, yes, of course. You know, even way, like you said, way before.

My mother got sick, you know. I, my mother was a single parent, you know, raising all of us. And so my dad was never really there, you know, in my life at all. So I grew up looking for, I guess you could say, love in all the wrong places. And so, and I didn't really love myself at the time. I didn't really see myself how God saw me because I really didn't know the Lord at the science, so I battle depression. I battle, you know, feeling, you know, low self-esteem, self-worthiness, falling for anything

or anyone that said, quote, unquote, I love you. And so that all that depression, which led to attempting to commit suicide, you know, because of the depression. Oh, God. There were, you know, many times, even when I lived, I had, for a brief part, of my life. I moved to Atlanta, you know, because I wanted to be like everybody else, you know, and I fell for a bunch of lies at the time that this guy was telling me. And I went through depression because, you know, and I would allow him to treat me any kind of way because I didn't

love myself. I didn't know myself. I didn't know who I was, you know. And I tried to commit suicide. I tried taking some pills. And I tried, you know, to do it. And I tried, you know, to do it. drink myself to try many different things. All of it derived from being depressed. All of it derived because

you know, also two hours out of God's will, you know, for my life. And we know how when you're out of God's will that

a lot of things can happen when you're out of God's wheel. Oh my God. That's a bad place to be. Yes. It's a place to be.

And just Again, you were talking about you tried to take your life during this time. Yes, during this time. And I lived in Atlanta, and I had a bad relationship at the time. And so I was depressed at how, you know, he was abusing me more so emotional and verbal than physical. And so I tried to take some pills and I wind up. I was walking through this, I never will forget. I was walking through this park over in East Point.

And I took some pills. Yes, and East Pointing. I took some pills, but by the grace of God, and it was totally God's grace. I was in a park by a major street. But I woke up in greater hospital. I don't know how I got there. I don't know. All I know was that I was on the sixth floor and I didn't have any phones or anything in my room.

And I had to get help. I had to get if I see a psychiatrist, you know, to talk. And so anything could have happened to me between the time I took those pills and the time I woke up at the hospital. But that was God's grace. Even in the midst of my trouble, my storm, my disobedience, my depression, his grace was still sufficient for me. At East Point, I mean, you go back a few years, our brother, your uncle, was murdered in East Point.

And East Point has waxed a million times worse since then. So like you said, anything could have happened. I mean, you know, a young woman walking out there like that, I mean, gangs and, oh, God, I don't even want to think, I didn't want to think what could it happen right now. I don't want to think about it, showing you that God was definitely, you know, with you the whole time, you know. That's so sad. But we're trying to let people know that it is breast cancer awareness month, cancer awareness month, but depression is real. Don't take that as a joke. When someone say that they're depressed or someone say that they're upset about something

or they're going through something, maybe take it seriously because I'm going to say this, you know, back to cancer, when my sister passed away of breast cancer, I had a doctor call it a malnourous breakdown. A lot of people didn't even know that. And he said you had a nervous breakdown. And that was like, and that was right around the time your mom passed away in November. My sister, Laura, passed away in July. And then your mom passed away in November.

So, and I was thinking, I told the doctor, I remember telling the doctor, I got to go to the funeral because, you know, people will be saying, that's your sister. You're not at the funeral. And the doctor said, well, you've taken a chance if you go to the funeral because they might be going to your funeral. And then that scared me. So I kind of stayed away, but I was going through a great depression at the time myself. But I do thank God for his mercy. And I just thank God for just being in our lives, you know, because what hadn't been for the Lord? I'm sorry, what would we be?

I love that. It is. I think it was a song. But depression is definitely real. I mean, it's so many people out there right now who are listening to this broadcasts who are depressed. And I know that listening to Teretta tell her story, and she's still telling her story. I just kind of chimed in a little bit. But she's still telling her story.

But, yeah, depression is real. It's real. And sometimes you, like in my case, it was nothing wrong. And I was fine. I'd never been like, maybe just a little sad, but never, nothing made to, like, depressed. Like, and then a nervous breakdown on top of it. I was like, man. So you just never know what life was going to happen in your life.

So, yeah, depression is definitely real. And, you know, your story, I, well, I didn't, you're my niece, didn't even know all those things. I didn't know all those things. I really didn't. Oh, God, I didn't know all of that. I knew you had been through depression before. I knew that you had some things going on, but I never knew to the extent. Because it sounded like you had kind of lost your mind a little bit, too, when you was on that sixth floor.

Mm-hmm. I did. I did. I wasn't myself. And, you know, the thing about it is, you know, once we're out there in this world, we become, you know, I would say toys of Satan and he gets to have his way with us when we're out of place

and I was out of place and so I'm so thankful that like I say it's the grace of God, something that we don't deserve but he gives us right

I thank God too I thank him too I just thank him every day. I mean, sometimes I'm driving along, and I'm just saying, thank you, Jesus. And I just thank him because, you know, like I said, and I continue to say that if it had not been for the Lord, I don't know where I would be. I have no idea where I would be, but I know I probably wouldn't be here. So, you know.

But, yeah, but that, you know, that depression, that can. cancer, that all those things are real and caring for a loved one the way that you help cared for your mother. I mean, that's a hard thing to do. It's easy because you love her, but it's also, it's easy because you love her. But it's what people don't understand that, it's hard too because it's almost like you got the disease because you're feeling that burden that you hear them moaning. That's the part they get me when I hear them.

Like when I was at the hospital and I heard this lady like, I kept hearing that. And then my mind would just go back on when I was talking to my sister sometime. I hear a moaning. And it just, oh. And you know, it's nothing you could do. nothing you can do but praying for them you can't do anything else because you know they're going through this they're going through that heart battle and it's just

it's so hard and so and then that step forward what I was trying to say is you're also going through it I mean they're suffering with the pain and all that and you're suffering with all these emotions that you got to go through right that is true and it is definitely an emotional and excuse me roller coaster because there are times you laugh

and then there are times you cry and all of this why you're battling things internally you know and like my mother she she was just she was a joy you know and I counted in honor to be able to when I

I would like, she used to like when I gave her sponge bath because, you know, she got four weeks at one point. She could no longer, you know, get in the tub. So I would get the hot water pail with the soap and then the hot water, you know, bucket or pail that has just the plain water. And I had to wash her down very thoroughly. And then I put lotion and everything on her from her head to her feet. And then I get her dressed and let her lay down or something, whatever she wanted to do. And this is something that we did daily, just one of our daily things we had to do. And with the smile on her face, you know, smiling through the pain, she's like, oh, that feels so good.

I like that. Can you put the most, you know, it was just, you know, even though it's not easy, you know, getting another adult having to help them because of the weight and they can't do it for themselves, God still gave me the strength to do it. And I was happy to do it, you know. Right. You said the right thing. God gave you that strength because it had to be God's strength because, you know, you can, you can, no way you could have that yourself.

It had to be the strength of the Lord. It had to be God's strength. And, you know, you mentioned your, you mentioned your, Your son, Dorella has a son, Chris, y'all. He plays drums. He's a little bit older now, but a little bit. And he plays drums. He's a musician.

And he sings. And so, and Chris, he helped care for his grandmother as well. You want to talk about Chris a little bit, too? Sure. Now, Chris is my My son, definitely my gift from God But he did help me Care for my mother

And just like when I had my son My mother was there for him since birth You know, she played that role Because I myself, like I said, you know Have been a single mother since he was born And so my mother, you know, she filled that void being there So when it was time to take care of her he helped me.

And so he will fluff her pillows, give her medicine, help her walk, read to her, you know, hold her hand. And so even now that he's 18 years old and it was about, what, five years ago, so he's about 12, 13 when she passed, he grieves her in his own way, you know. now we're still in the house where we all lived mama lived grandma lived you know so right that that in itself has you know we have memories but he Christopher is oh my gosh such an old soul gentleman he misses her he thinks about her he'll like wear her picture around his neck and you know um they had a special bond they really really bit. Yeah, it sounds like it.

And then I know one time we were talking, you said how he would he would layer it there. I'm not sure if it was on her chest, but like right there by her head. And he would cry while she was, you know, going through her sickness, your mom. And Chris would lay right there and he would cry,

you know. And I can just imagine that, you know, on a young, a young kid, you know, this, uh, just, but this show.

that love that he had for his grandma. Exactly. You know, he, and he would do that. That's probably why, you know, mama would, only he could fluff her pillows like she liked, right? You know, not me, not my other adult sisters. She'd call him. She'd say, she'd say, Chris, you yell Chris through the house.

She'll find a strength to yell Chris through the house. Say, can you come fluff my pillows? and he'd go running, you know, he'd go running. And he was flog her pillows. And then, yeah, he'd lay right there with her. He'd sit with her. And one of the funniest pictures and memories I have of, they ate putzerol suckers together.

So it's like, I got this picture of her with her putsy roll pop, but he's got his laying his head on her shoulders. So they're both enjoying the putsy roll pop together. So that's what a beautiful memory What a beautiful memory And one thing about memories They're like pictures

You know if you hold on to them They last forever They do They last forever Well you know We've touched on a lot of things But I always give the guests A chance to talk about anything else

That they want to talk about If you want to continue to talk about that or you know a friend, a friend, or someone that's going through cancer right now, or, you know, if it's something else you want to just touch on, I would be glad to, you know, hear the story or hear you out. Well, I actually, you know, I want to encourage listeners, encourage people that, you know, have gone through depression and they are going through being a caretaker,

they feel exhausted, feel like there's no way out. And then they're going through single parenting, whether your mom or dad, know that God is there. You know, he is there. He will give you the strength that you need, you know. When it does seem like anybody else is there, I encourage everyone to find that, you know, that quiet place or they can just commune with God. And they can just call on him. And if they have to cry, cry. It's okay.

Right. Because he said that he'll turn our, you know, sorrow into joy. He'll give our beauty for ashes, you know. So he'll do all those things. So I encourage everyone that's going through something to lean on Christ. Right. Because I'm telling you, there's no better friend than Jesus, no better friend. And what better time to lead?

on him with all the things that we're going to in the world right now. And what better what better person, you know, to lead on bin the Lord, you know? What better? Who better? I should say, who better?

Who better? Yeah. Oh, my God. I am so enjoying speaking with you. Oh, my God. I am enjoying this so much. I can just sit here all day And we can just sit here and just talk all day about just not just cancer, breast cancer, whatever, but just life.

And I'm enjoying talking to you so much. You just don't know. Likewise, you're amazing. Well, you know what, now, you know, another thing now, I know at some point, you're going to come on and let me hear about your love story. Oh, yes, of course. You know, everything is not sad. Once you go through the storm, there's always, God opens up those clouds.

He's in a beautiful rain. Right. And the sun is fine. And so, yes, God is doing some great, great thing. See, we got that story coming up. We got that story coming up at some point. So I am super excited to hear it because I, you know, as I was telling my last guest when he was speaking about his wife,

I love hearing a lot of stories. I just, I don't know, it reminds me of the old movies. I love black and white movies. And it reminds me of those old movies. I just, I just love to listen to old story. I don't know what's not about stories that remind me of the old movies. I mean, I don't know if that make any sense, but. Okay.

That doesn't know if that make any sense. but you have been a joy to speak with today. Well, thank you. So of you, and I'm so glad that I finally had a chance to talk to you. I mean, we've been talking about doing this for years. I know. And we're going to get this together, and I'm going to interview you and you say, yeah, and I can tell my story and I can do this. But now you finally did it.

And I am so happy because I do have a pretty big audience. God has blessed this audience to grow. And so I'm so happy that they will have a chance to hear your story and to, you know, grab a hold to a little bit of faith. You know, take a whole lot just a little bit. So, you know, I'm just thanking God that you were able to come on because I know you're very busy. Do you have a place you want them to write to you

or you got some kind of fan club or some kind of thing you got going on that you like people to know about or anything like that? Well, yes. They can actually reach me because I am a founder of a nonprofit as well, so they can just reach me on my nonprofit email. And that's HOPE, H-O-P-E, the number for Healing, H-E-L-I-N-G-D-com. Hope for Healing, Hope for Healing at Gmail.com. There we go. You know, I'm listening to what you said, hope for healing. And then I'm thinking about how you helped care for your mom

and how you went through all the things you went through. Does that have anything to do with the name that you came up with? I mean, actually, yeah. Wow. Yeah, because the Lord, I had to fast and pray. pray before I even God gave me the name for, you know,

hope for healing. And after a fast and praying, he gave me that name in about three or four days. And so he gave me the name and he also gave me the mission. Oh, yeah.

And I can hear it in the title, Hope for Hope for Healing. And it's just like, when people know you got hope and then you can be healed. I mean, in that title, you can tell you've gone through some things. And I am so thankful that you were able to come on today and tell your story and

your testimony. And I just appreciate you so much. I love you. I love you speaking. I love you. And I just want to say, thank you, thank you, thank you so much. And, you know, Corto, wants you back on now. And I'm just don't be a stranger.

Be a stranger. They want you to come back and then you've got to talk about your love story. And I want to touch again because we're not done with the breast cancer. We're not done with the cancer. We're not done with the depression. We're not done with that, you know. And maybe there are times that you can come on and just, you know, just help me host a show where we just talk about, you know,

just talk about things like that. You know, I'm looking for that. So I want to do that. And not a lot of people want to do it. So I hope after today you might say, yeah, I'll do it. I'll do it. You know that. Of course.

Boy, so, but thank you so much. And again, I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart. I don't like to say the bottom of my heart. I like to say all in my heart. Yes, ma'am. Well, thank you for having me. Thank you again. and thanks to everyone who is listening out there to Regina Swine audio series presents.

I want you all to have a wonderful, wonderful day. And just remember, there is hope for healing. And I'm just taking down to read the title there, but just remember that, you know, all that ain't worked well for those who love the Lord. I think that would work. Have a good day, Tira. Thank you so much.

Thank you. Bye-bye. Bye-bye. Okay, that concludes another great broadcast. Thank you so much for joining me for Regina Swaring Audio Series. If you like to be a part of this series, please send me an email at Swarine Regina at gmail.com. I want to thank all of my wonderful friends, fans, and guests for being a part of this show. Most of all, I'd like to thank the Lord.

Until the next time, take care of yourself and be safe.