Mica Peak High School Staff Share Breast Cancer Journeys
For several women at the Spokane Valley school, breast cancer awareness is personal and ongoing.
Five women on the Mica Peak High School staff have faced breast cancer: Geri Bacheller, Mary Ann Ehrgott, Lynne Wilberding, Jan Jorg and Rebecca Juhnke-West. Their separate experiences have brought them together as friends and as a source of support for one another at the Spokane Valley school.
Bacheller, the head secretary, learned of her diagnosis earlier this year and is still undergoing her fight with the disease. Ehrgott works as an occupational therapist, Wilberding teaches math, art and ELA, and Jorg is a paraeducator. Jorg’s own cancer experience was years ago, so she now concentrates on helping colleagues who are currently dealing with treatment. The women also made custom shirts representing their connection.
Their cancers were discovered in different ways. Routine screening identified the disease for some, while others first recognized symptoms on their own. Juhnke-West and Bacheller both stress the value of screening; Bacheller says she would not have felt her cancer herself. Beyond practical guidance, the group offers a place to discuss difficult emotions with people who have lived through similar experiences. For Ehrgott, awareness also means recognizing and supporting the wives, sisters and mothers affected by breast cancer.
- Five female staff members have received breast cancer diagnoses.
- Bacheller was diagnosed earlier this year.
- Some cancers were found through routine screenings; others followed self-identified symptoms.
- The staff members created custom shirts showing their solidarity.
Source: KXLY ↗
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