BUFFALO, N.Y. —
When Monica Ross finishes her chemotherapy treatments she heads straight to work at PS 43 School of Discovery. Ross is a special education teacher and spends the day working directly with the 12-year-old students in her class. The reality of her diagnosis, however is still close by.
"It’s difficult, just carrying in my brain, fighting to get better," Ross told 2 On Your Side.
Ross has been fighting Breast Cancer for the past 16 years. She was first diagnosed in 2003 and went into remission after 5 years. Her cancer later returned more aggressive than ever.
"It came back in my lungs, my bones, my brain, and my sternum," she said.
Recently her doctor told her she could no longer do chemotherapy, so Ross began looking for an alternative, and her fellow teachers decided to step in and help
"We just wanted to work together as a community and have a fundraiser to help her with their next endeavor," said Kelly Arnone, a coworker of Ross.
Arnone is a part of the pre-K team at the Lovejoy School of Discovery. She and the other team members came up with the idea of a fundraiser to help Ross with the costs of her treatment.
Their solution was a sweet one. The teachers sold lemonade and cupcakes during lunch to help raise the money Ross needed. Faculty and students baked more than 700 cupcakes altogether and sold them at lunch for one dollar each. The money went right to Mrs. Ross.
The teachers are also helping collect donations for Ross online.
Ross says she’s thankful for the money, but knowing her school community was thinking of her means so much more.
"I’ve done nothing extra, I do nothing extraordinary, I just come and try to spread the love wherever I can," Ross said.