Tammy Tilghman opens second restaurant after surviving a brain tumor

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A happy update to a story WWAY first brought you in February about a local woman battling a brain tumor and keeping her business open.

Tammy Tilghman has operated Magnolia Social Café in Riverlights for years, and was in the process of opening a second restaurant earlier this year when she was diagnosed with a brain tumor.

Tilghman underwent successful surgery to remove the tumor, but says it’s still a day-by-day process.

“When I went back in August, they did see a new growth of something happening in that same location,” Tilghman said. “But the good news is, they said for now we’ll just watch it for about six months.”

In the meantime, Tilghman is celebrating another accomplishment — holding the grand opening of her pizza restaurant ‘Girls with Dough’, which she says is arriving on time despite her months-long absence.

“Everyone kept it moving the entire time,” Tilghman added. “Not just myself, but this girl. The whole neighborhood showed up time and time again.”

Hannah Faircloth has worked for Tilghman for 2 years at her Café, and says she was determined to help with the new restaurant in any way she could.

“That is one thing she made clear,” Faircloth said. “That while she was gone, this is still her dream. So me and the rest of the staff at the café and the neighborhood, like she said, were gonna work to make sure it happened.”

Tilghman is optimistic about the restaurant’s future, and says she hopes it turns into a place everyone can enjoy for years.

“As a team we all made it happen,” Tilghman said. “I am looking forward to not just serving everyone this weekend, but for many, many, many more weekends to come.”