Educator’s journey through cancer a learning tool in the classroom

Administrator | Oct 03, 2013 | Comments 13

Gail MacDougall has her head signed during the school’s Terry Fox Run activities.

When Gail MacDougall was diagnosed with breast cancer in March, she took her career with the Algonquin and Lakeshore District School Board to heart and turned her experience into a learning tool.

The students at St. Gregory elementary school in Picton showed open hearts and open minds learning about the journey of their school’s Learning Resource Assistant, now on leave.

“I had an open discussion with the classes about my diagnosis, surgery and the effects of chemo and radiation treatments,” said MacDougall. “Many students share that family members are ‘just finished chemo’, ‘starting radiation’ or that their grandma, grandpa, aunt, uncle, best friend’s dad died of cancer or say ‘my dog has cancer’.”

She told them three tumours were removed during a day surgery in mid-April, one of which was sent to California as part of a study to help determine the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

The students, MacDougall says, help sustain her with cards and prayers.

“Students responded with questions and shared their own family stories. I was privileged to have an intermediate student share his recollection of his mother’s death to cancer when he was quite young. He felt the memory too harsh to discuss with immediate family. He also shared his good memories.”

The students, MacDougall says, help sustain her with cards and prayers.

“Besides the hugs, cards and meals, the staff have also had many fundraisers to help with additional costs of travel, medications and just day-to-day stuff that happens when you are going through treatments.

At the school’s annual Terry Fox Run this year MacDougall was also thinking of her sister who died of breast cancer in 1990. And because she has develped a strong sense of family within the workplace, she, and Bill Thompson and Liz Halle organized the ninth annual event with fun in mind.

Students raised funds for the honour of throwing flour pies at two intermediate students who volunteered their faces in honour of people they knew who battled cancer.

The students enjoyed watermelon and participated in draws for gifts donated by staff and local businesses. Students who pledged $50 in fundraising were allowed to sign MacDougall’s bald head and all those who filled in pledge forms were entered into a provincial draw for a bicycle.

Amber Saunders raised money because “I knew people would need it so they wouldn’t have to go through what Terry did.

MacDougall takes great delight with the openess of the subject with the students.

|”When I returned after my surgery they said ‘Look, she’s fixed’ (kindergarten student); ‘When you get your radiation can you climb walls like Spiderman? (Grade 2 student); and ‘So, how’s your cancer doing? (Grade 4).

St. Gregory students on their Terry Fox Run route.

Students raised funds for the honour of throwing flour pies at two intermediate students who volunteered their faces in honour of people they knew who battled cancer.

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Educator’s journey through cancer a learning tool in the classroom

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