When Joan Taylor was in a rear-end collision 17 years ago, she had no idea it would save her life.

“I was sore after the accident. I kept feeling around where I was sore and that’s when I found the lump,” Taylor said.

Despite having had faithful, yearly mammograms for years, Taylor had a lump under her armpit that had been missed by the traditional screening. After a lumpectomy, chemo and radiation therapy, Taylor is cancer free. She has survived for 20 years.

In honor of her survival and to raise money for those who continue to struggle, Taylor, who owns Flowers and Gifts by Joan located in Armuchee, donated her time and resources to make a Christmas wreath. Her wreath, along with dozens of others, hang in the Harbin Clinic Tony E. Warren M.D. Cancer Center.

Area artists, florists, garden clubs, businesses and interior designers have joined with the cancer center to create and sell original holiday wreaths to benefit Cancer Navigators.

The wreaths went on display at the cancer center this morning and they will be on display for a silent auction until until Nov. 23.

Admission to the Cancer Center to view the wreaths is free, and the public is invited to vote for their favorite wreaths. Votes are $1 each, and the wreath with the most votes will receive the People’s Choice Award.

“This is such a great opportunity because whoever wins a wreath gets a beautiful Christmas decoration but also gets to help people with cancer,” said Janice Hopkins, director of the Harbin Clinic Cancer Center.

The 30-inch silk wreaths are decorated in various motifs.

Taylor said her’s is a “country Christmas,” complete with feathers, birdhouses and green and gold ribbons.

“This is a worthy thing,” Taylor said. “We are finding out that more and more people we know are being diagnosed with cancer.”

Cancer Navigators is a local not-for-profit organization that works closely with the Harbin Clinic Cancer Center to provide needed services for cancer patients. Cancer Navigators works with individual patients to guide them through treatment and to help them with the emotional and family stress of cancer treatment.

For additional information contact Harbin Clinic Cancer Center at 706-528-9091 or Cancer Navigators at 706-295-4119.