Neither a pandemic nor chemo can prevent this kindergarten teacher from Minnesota to teach her students.
Kelly Klein, a kindergarten teacher, who was diagnosed with ovarian cancer for the second time, is now undergoing chemo, and still found a way to show up for her students.
From the hospital, where she receives chemotherapy, she goes online and teaches her students.
Although the school insisted she takes a leave during her treatment, she declined and said that there’s no better way to spend the 5 hours than with 5 year olds.
Kindergarten Teacher Keeps on Teaching Her Students from the Hospital
Klein explains that she hopes that her students, through her treatments, will learn that even when dealing with a difficult thing like cancer, people can still live their lives fully.
The Falcon Heights Elementary teacher says that it’s her students who’re helping her stay strong during these challenging times.
Although distance learning has become a practice during the pandemic, Klein may be the only one who’s teaching students while tethered to an IV, receiving chemo.
One golden-haired student observed that their teacher is ‘at the doctor’s house’. She affirms their observation and does her best to keep up with the class.
She’s receiving treatment at the M Health Fairview Lakes Medical Center in Wyoming and there, she spends around four to five hours getting the chemotherapy she hopes will extend her life.
Now, She Undergoes Chemo to Extend Her Life
Klein, a wife and mother of 20-year-old twins says that she was first diagnosed with ovarian cancer 5 years ago. She underwent surgery to have the tumors removed and then had series of aggressive chemo.
Unfortunately, on the fifth anniversary from her last chemotherapy, she was informed that the tumor returned. Upbeat, she struggled to contain her emotions-now that’s back, it’s no longer treatable, but terminal.
This is when she contacted the principal of the school where she also went as a girl and where she has been a teacher for the past 32 years. She told her she would need more treatments, but this time, not with the goal to stop the cancer, but rather slow it down.
The principal, Beth Behnke was moved by Klein and said how most teachers would ask for a medical leave. But, Klein came and asked her ‘please don’t make me’.
Behnke told her to figure out things together.
Then, they informed the children’s parents by email that the kids may see nurses coming and going while on Zoom lessons.
None of the parents raised any concerns and one of them, Dan Fergus, the parent of Cliff, his son who’s in the class, says that it’s amazing to watch this.
Klein explains that she wants the children to realize that cancer isn’t a death sentence and people can still keep their spirits, be playful and silly.
Sources:
