Georgia’s Woman Veteran of the Year beat cancer. Now she helps others.
BOGART — Raquel Durden received some news that would radically alter the course of her life. Nine years ago, she was diagnosed with a form of advanced stage uterine cancer. Durden knew it could be fatal.
Drawing on the mental toughness she developed during her 25 years in the military, the retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel steeled herself for what was ahead.
She researched her condition, underwent chemotherapy and overhauled her diet and exercise regimen. Today, she calls herself cancer-free, saying she is “living in bonus years.”
Her perseverance propelled her into advocacy on behalf of other female military veterans and first responders. In 2018, the Bogart resident co-founded a nonprofit for them called Humble Warrior Wellness & Yoga. It brings women together for walks, workshops and retreats, helping them form friendships, avoid isolation and practice mindfulness.
This effort is part of why the Georgia Department of Veterans Service named Durden 2025 Georgia Woman Veteran of the Year. She rode through Midtown Atlanta in Saturday’s annual Georgia Veterans Day Parade, which honored women in uniform. As of 2023, the state was home to 101,219 female military veterans, according to the Veterans Affairs Department’s most recent figures.
In retrospect, Durden, 56, can see how her military career, cancer diagnosis and healing led to Humble Warrior.
“God just picked me up,” she said, “and put me on a different path.”
‘This girl from Wisconsin did OK’
Born in Two Rivers, Wisconsin, Durden was raised by a sheriff’s deputy and a retail worker who enjoyed the outdoors. Her family routinely went hiking, fishing and camping.
“So when I went to basic training, this girl from Wisconsin did OK,” Durden recalled.
Wanting to see the world and save money for college, Durden enlisted with the military at 17. She deployed with the 10th Mountain Division to Somalia in 1993 during Operation Restore Hope, a humanitarian and peacekeeping mission. She also served in Egypt and South Korea.
Durden commanded troops at every level, from detachment to battalion. Before she retired in 2012, Durden led the Georgia Army National Guard’s 221st Military Intelligence Battalion.
Her recognition in Georgia comes amid the fiery debate over the role of women in the military. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revived that debate on Sept. 30, when he told the nation’s generals and flag officers that physical standards for combat-related positions must be “gender-neutral.” Hegseth previously said women should not serve in those roles.
Durden emphasized she observed other women performing exceptionally in uniform, when she was in the military. She also pointed to the many women who have graduated from the U.S. Army’s grueling Ranger School in recent years.
“We have proven that we are capable and resilient,” Durden said. “I am OK with a one-gender standard as long as that standard is meaningful and enforced.”
Pulling through
In 2016, Durden was training for a triathlon when she noticed she was spotting. Then 47, she wondered if the bleeding was caused by overtraining or menopause. She consulted doctors and underwent a pair of surgeries, including a hysterectomy.
Ultimately, Durden was diagnosed with advanced stage endometrial cancer. She was stunned, partly because she felt so healthy.
“That was a body blow. I was like, ‘What are you talking about? How can it be?’ It was total disbelief,” she recalled. “Just crushing. I heard ‘cancer’ and I thought, ‘Death. I am going to die. This is a death sentence.’”
Durden received six chemotherapy treatments. As her hair fell out, she got one side of her head shaved. Then the other side. Eventually, she was left with a “fun mohawk.”
The medical professionals who cared for Durden credited the resilience and physical fitness she developed in the military.
“She was pretty tough out of the gates,” said Dr. Joseph Boveri, a gynecologic oncologist who performed one of her surgeries, diagnosed her cancer and treated her.
Durden hired an outside team of experts, including a nutritionist, who guided her. She also read clinical studies and sought insights from other cancer survivors.
When she found herself dwelling on her cancer diagnosis, Durden signed up for yoga teacher training. That exercise helped her clear her mind. She said she also benefited from adopting a plant-based diet, practicing therapeutic journaling, spending more time outdoors and praying.
Her husband, Dave, an Afghanistan War veteran, took her to her appointments, stood by her and provided moral support.
Like Boveri, Jeanne Wallace, the oncology nutrition expert Durden hired, was gratified to learn she is thriving and helping others today.
“She is definitely a remarkable person,” Wallace said. “That mental toughness that Raquel came in with served her very well.”
Humble Warrior
Friends kept asking Durden how she was doing so well after her cancer diagnosis. She posted about her regimen on social media. Then she held a weekend retreat in North Georgia in 2018, featuring some of the healthy practices she adopted.
Afterward, she asked friends if they should team up and start a related nonprofit that would eventually become Humble Warrior. Today, it focuses on preventing social isolation and promoting wellness among women.
Tonya Gage of Kennesaw, a U.S. Air Force veteran who has been diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension and post-traumatic stress disorder, learned yoga and breathing exercises through Humble Warrior. Both of those activities, she said, aid her well-being.
“I want to be around those ladies all the time because they taught me a lot,” said Gage, a retired vocational rehab counselor. “They have helped me so much.”
Durden’s extensive military experience helps her quickly build a rapport with fellow military veterans like Gage.
“I wouldn’t have the credibility with this kind of warrior community — with these up-tempo people — firefighters, veterans, first responders — if I had not had all the military experience,” Durden said.
Friends encouraged Durden to write a book. Published this year, “Dial Down: Holistic Strategies to Move from Chaos to Calm” blends memoir, vignettes about military veterans and first responders and Durden’s guide for wellness practices.
“Chaos is not something to fix or avoid,” she wrote. “Chaos is something to navigate.”
Her book says its after-tax proceeds support organizations “dedicated to advancing holistic wellness practices and fostering meaningful connections for those who need them most.”
Humble Warrior, meanwhile, is preparing to host a “Gratitude Walk and Wellness Day” for female veterans and first responders Saturday at Fort Yargo State Park in Winder.
“Now, I feel like I am in a really good spot,” Durden said, “and I can help others.”
About the Author
Jeremy Redmon is an award-winning journalist, essayist and educator with more than three decades of experience reporting for newspapers. He has written for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 2005.
