The most common symbol for cancer is often seen as a delicate ribbon, a whisper of hope tied with a gentle loop,but the disease itself is a hammer. It shatters the quiet rhythm of life, filling the calendar with appointments, and tables filled with flowers, balloons and get-well-soon cards.
Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. The treatment is aggressive and takes an extreme toll on an individual’s body. Two GlenOak teachers have faced breast cancer, followed by another form of cancer.
“It’s very harsh, that’s for sure. It’s toxins, I don’t think people realize what they put in you during radiation,” commercial photography teacher Jeanenne Mathis-Bertosa said. “And then they don’t realize how long it takes for it all to leave your system.”
Mathis-Bertosa dealt not only with Breast Cancer but also with Endometrial Cancer, also known as Uterus or Womb Cancer. This form of cancer targets the inner lining of the uterus.
“During the Spring of 2017 was my experience with Breast Cancer, and the end of September of last year, 2024, was when I was diagnosed with my Endometrial Cancer,” Mathis-Bertosa said.
A month after Mathis-Bertosa’s second cancer diagnosis, English teacher Susan Barry was diagnosed with Ovarian Cancer. She also had Breast Cancer in the spring of 2023.
“It was a little bit of a shock when I first found out; it was scary,” Barry said. “The nurses at Aultman Hospital that I was dealing with were so supportive and so sweet, they just gave me a big hug, and said, ‘You’re gonna be fine.’”
The overwhelming anxiety of doctor appointments and big unknown words can make patients feel alone in this experience. After learning more about the disease and what is happening on the inside, helps relieve all of the unknowns and fears.
“Hearing those words, ‘yes, it’s positive for cancer,’ those word in and of itself is so scary,” Mathis-Bertosa said. “But I have a really great support system in my family and my friends and my work colleagues who made sure that everything was covered and I didn’t have to worry about anything,”
Having support is the best thing in life that is given when going through a tough time. Barry was blessed with Mathis-Bertosa always being there for her in 2023 when she got diagnosed with breast cancer and then again last year as they both faced cancer together.
“Jeanenne would come in all the time. I will never forget when she came in during peak moments,” Barry said. “She knew when I was going to be losing my hair and came in with a bunch of hats,”
Because the hair being one of the fastest-growing cells, Chemotherapy treatment kills those cells and causes the patient to lose their hair.
Between work and treatments, it can be a struggle, but these women made it work. They often found themselves grading work, writing emails, creating lesson plans while sitting in the chair getting Chemotherapy. They then would go to school the very next day.
“My group of seniors last year were so wonderful and so supportive. Every single day, somebody was checking on me and making sure that I was comfortable and I had what I needed,” Mathis-Bertosa said. “If things got a little too crazy in the classroom, somebody would jump in and help the other students,”
Balancing their teaching life and doctor appointments, they made sure they were able to keep working while taking very little time off. Only working from home when needed most, they powered through and came to work, then left for treatment after school or towards the very end of the day.
“Radiation is done every day, five days a week, at the same time,” Mathis-Bertosa said. “ So I was able to work it into my school day after my last class, I would just get in my car and go right to the hospital,”
Family, work colleagues, students and doctors were all the support Barry and Mathis-Bertosa needed to push through. Something both of them learned from their cancer experiences was that the little things in life do not matter. You learn to start looking at what is important in life.
“It really puts things into perspective, your priorities just shift,” Barry said. “You really start looking at what’s important and what’s important are the relationships you have in your life and the blessings that you have. Those are the things you focus on, not the negative things. So those little negative things that happen, you just learn to kind of brush them off.”
To learn more or make a donation go to the American Cancer Society.
