In the world of industrial supplies, Daisy Hill stands out.

“You gotta keep pushing yourself every month,” 59-year-old Hill said. “You gotta keep making money, and if you don’t sell you don’t make it.”

Few of her customers ever knew what the 59-year-old was hiding beneath her long blonde hair: a 12-inch tumor she named Big Bertha.

“Try to embrace the tumor and live with it, because that’s what I was doing,” Hill said.

Hill let the tumor go untreated for years because she feared doctors and had no health insurance. Unbearable pain forced her to get help through the Methodist Hospital’s charity program.

Dr. Gene Alford said the benign carotid body tumor grew slowly for 20 years until it was bigger than a softball.

“Her tumor was completely wrapped around the carotid artery,” Dr. Alford said.

What’s visible in this picture is only the tip of the iceberg: Inside Daisy Hill’s neck the tumor was twice as big.

“The tumor extends all the way past the midline here and pushed the side of her throat way over,” Dr. Alford said.

The surgeon battled to protect major nerves when he removed the tumor so Hill wouldn’t have more problems.

“Her arm wouldn’t come up like this; lots of difficulties swallowing eating and drinking because of paralysis of the vega nerve,” Dr. Alford said.

A check up reveals the tumor is gone but there are lingering challenges.

“I’m eating,” Hill said. “The swallowing is still a little tough, but I’m getting there.”

Hill is back to doing what she loves most and is longer is she hiding behind her hair.