Special education administrator Donna Faciola was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer in 2005.  Five years later, business and IT teacher Melinda Koeninger was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer.  This common experience became the basis of a strong relationship between the two teachers.

When first diagnosed, Faciola was required to take time off work and attend radiation every day for six weeks.

“I had a bad reaction to the radiation,” said Faciola.  “Due to my fair skin, I was burned fairly badly.”

Luckily, Faciola had friends and family surrounding her with support.

“As sad as the experience was, it definitely brought my family closer together,” said Faciola.  Faciola won her battle with breast cancer, but like all patients, she continued attending frequent checkups to make sure she was still in remission.

Her struggle with breast cancer has changed her attitude about life.

“I finished radiation in 2006, and I’m at the end of my five year watch period,” said Faciola.  “It opened my eyes to make me think about life and what is truly important.”

Faciola’s experience as a survivor of this frightening and uncertain disease allowed her to provide support for Koeninger. Faciola was able to help Koeninger through the many questions that people who are first diagnosed often face.

“I am lucky because I had Donna [Faciola] downstairs,” said Koeninger.  “When you first hear radiation you want to know what that means and everything about it, so it’s nice to have a survivor of breast cancer next to me.”

Faciola was happy to assist her close friend through a difficult time.

“I helped her through it,” said Faciola. “I helped to beat the fears and unknowns.”

Koeninger’s battle with breast cancer was not an easy journey either.  After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010, Koeninger immediately underwent surgery to remove the tumor from her left breast.  She went back for a checkup days later when the doctors realized the tumor was not completely removed.

Four weeks later, Koeninger went through another surgery and attended regular checkups five days a week for one month.

“I was scared,” said Koeninger.  “Gratefully, the hospital and doctors were close and so were the doctors. This made it easy to attend checkups after work.”

Koeninger attended radiation treatment two days a week, for six weeks in hopes of preventing the cancer from recurring.

“It was very tiring but I knew I had to keep going,” said Koeninger.  “I like to make sure this disease doesn’t take over my life and doesn’t become my identity.”

Tiredness was not the only effect from the treatment.  Radiation often causes sore limbs because of lack of movement. Koeninger’s left arm became partially paralyzed at the end of the six weeks due to limited mobility.

“I had to do 10 weeks of physical therapy,” said Koeninger.  “My goal after the ten weeks was to be able to lift a box of paper.”

Koeninger received positive news from her doctor regarding her recent mammogram.  The battle is not over yet, however.

She has five years ahead of her eating healthy and taking medication to prevent the cancer from growing back.

Koeninger is appreciative of all the support the community and her students provide. Her family and friends have been by her side during the entire ordeal.

“I have a girlfriend who marched for me last year in North Carolina, even before I was diagnosed,” said Koeninger.  “She claimed she had a feeling. She also had a sister-in-law going through it and so I donated.These past years I couldn’t walk because I was too emotional and exhausted. But I hope to walk this year in the spring.”

Koeninger came out of this experience with new found wisdom she continues to carry with her.

“I always try to be positive,” said Koeninger. “I’d even buy jewelry that says positive on it to help motivate myself.

“You want to have an outlook of living every day the best you can.”