CommUNITY Champion: Birmingham teacher in fight of her life after cancer diagnosis
CommUNITY Champion: Birmingham teacher in fight of her life after cancer diagnosis
SHERI: IT IS BACK TO SCHOOL TIME, BUT ONE EDUCATOR IS JUST WORKING ON GETTING BACK TO HER LIFE. GUY: EUNICE ELLIOTT INTRODUCES A WOMAN, WHO EVEN IN THE MIDST OF HER OWN BATTLE, IS STILL TEACHING OTHERS. >> UNTIL IT HAPPENS TO YOU, THEN YOU HAVE A TOTALLY DIFFERENT FEELING ABOUT IT. EUNICE: DR. TIFFANY THOMPSON HAS BEEN A SECOND GRADE TEACHER AT GLEN IRIS FOR 13 YEARS, AND WAS GETTING READY TO START A NEW YEAR WHEN SHE GOT SOME SURPRISING NEWS LAST MONTH. >> I WAS SHOCKED DEVASTATED OF COURSE, BUT MY EMOTIONS WERE ALL OVER THE PLACE. I COULDN’T BELIEVE THAT I HAD BEEN DIAGNOSED. AT THE TIME I WAS 34-YEARS-OLD, BREAST CANCER WAS NOT IN MY MIND AT ALL. EUNICE: NOT ONLY WAS IT NOT IN HER MIND, HER DOCTOR DIDN’T INITIALLY THINK SHE HAD BREAST CANCER, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF YOUNG AGE WHEN SHE FIRST WENT TO THE DOCTOR WITH HER SYMPTOMS. >> I CONTINUED TO HAVE THIS LUMP THAT WAS APPEARING IN MY UNDER ARM. IT WAS LIKE IT WAS FLARING UP AND THEN DISAPPEAR. EUNICE: INVASIVE MAMMARY CARCINOMA WAS THE DIAGNOSIS. SHE DECIDED TO SHARE THE NEWS WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS ON A FACEBOOK POST THAT HAS SINCE GONE VIRAL. >> WHAT REALLY MADE ME DECIDE TO SHARE IT IS THAT TYPICALLY WHEN WE GO TO THE DOCTOR, WE TAKE WHATEVER THE RESULTS THEY GIVE US OR WHATEVER ANSWER THEY GIVE US. AND ALTHOUGH DOCTORS ARE VERY HIGHLY RESPECTED PROFESSIONALS THAT WE OFTEN ENTRUST, YOU AREPT GOING ON IN THE INSIDE OF YOUR BODY. NOW SINCE I’VE MADE THAT POST, I HAVE HAD SO MANY OTHER YOUNG WOMEN IN THEIR 30’S TO REACH OUT TO ME SAYING THAT EITHER THEY’VE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER OR HAVE HAD SYMPTOMS OF BREAST CANCER AND HAVE HAD TO BE VERY AGGRESSIVE IN GETTING THE TREATMENT THAT THEY NEED. EUNICE: ANOTHER REASON FOR THE FACEBOOK POST WAS TO REQUEST THE DONATION OF SICK TIME FROM OTHER EDUCATORS IN THE STATE, A CALL THAT HAS BEEN ANSWERED BY MANY. >> I AM GRATEFUL BECAUSE PEOPLE DIDN’T HAVE TO DO THAT. THAT’S THEIR HARD EARNED TIME THAT THEY’VE WORKED FOR. EUNICE: A WIFE AND MOTHER TO AN ENERGETIC THREE-YEAR-OLD WHO DOESN’T KNOW HIS MOMMY IS SICK, RECENTLY STARTING CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT. TIFFANY IS ALSO INVESTED IN GETTING BETTER FOR HIM. >> THE OTHER DAY HE GAVE ME KISS AND SAID ALL BETTER, AND THOUGHT I WISH IT WAS THAT SIMPLE FOR ME, BUT IT’S NOT. BUT THAT ALSO HAS BEEN MY MOTIVATION TO GET BETTER AND DO WELL AND GET THROUGH THE SURGERY AND THE TREATMENT. EUNICE: TIFFANY HAS RECEIVED SO MUCH SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT FROM FRIENDS, FAMILY AND EVEN STRANGERS, AND IN THE MIDST OF HER OWN FIGHT, SHE IS STILL LOOKING TO HELP OTHERS. >> WOMEN WHO ARE OUT HERE FIGHTING BREAST CANCER, KNOWING TO BE STRONG, PUSH THROUGH, YOU CAN DO IT. GUY: BEST WISHES TO HER AND ALL OF THE OTHER FOLKS DEALING WITH HEALTH ISSUES THE BEST WAY THEY CAN. YOU CAN NOMINATE A COMMUNITY CHAMPION IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. HEAD TO THE WVT
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CommUNITY Champion: Birmingham teacher in fight of her life after cancer diagnosis
WVTM 13's Eunice Elliott introduces you to this week's CommUNITY Champion, Dr. Tiffany Thomas, a longtime 2nd-grade teacher in Birmingham who's in the fight of her life after being diagnosed with breast cancer. Learn more about Thomas' cancer battle and why she decided to open up about her diagnosis on social media in the video above.Do you know someone working to make our Central Alabama community a better place to live? WVTM 13 wants to hear about them!
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. —
WVTM 13's Eunice Elliott introduces you to this week's CommUNITY Champion, Dr. Tiffany Thomas, a longtime 2nd-grade teacher in Birmingham who's in the fight of her life after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
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Learn more about Thomas' cancer battle and why she decided to open up about her diagnosis on social media in the video above.
Do you know someone working to make our Central Alabama community a better place to live? WVTM 13 wants to hear about them!