First-grade teacher Marsha Mills got the support of staff, parents and students, including Lauren Siewers, as she taught the school year while battling breast cancer.
The weight of her nine-month battle showed on Marsha's face during a chemo treatment in April. "You feel drained just knowing what's to come," she said.
A few days after an April chemotherapy treatment, Marsha had to call in sick. Her mother, Merna Monroe, traveled from McCutchanville to help her. "My family has been phenomenal but I know they have taken it hard," Marsha said.
As more hair fell out, Marsha made the decision to shave it with the help of her mother. "This isn't so bad," she said. "It won't be this way forever."
On the final day of class, Marsha pulled off and twirled her wig during a dance with her students, including Ben Nolan, left, Collin Schue, Emily Wininger and Alyssa Simmers.
Marsha missed few days during a year in which she battled the sickness and fatigue brought on by chemotherapy. Sometimes her only breaks came when her students left for the day.
Marsha was upbeat throughout treatment at Memorial Hospital's Oncology Clinic and had the nurses, including Alice Kluesner, dancing on the day of her final treatment.
Despite being sick from her last chemotherapy treatment, Marsha attended Relay for Life and walked the survivors lap with the support of her son, Andy, 22.