The562’s coverage of Lakewood Athletics is sponsored by J.P. Crawford, Class of 2013.
The community of local educators has always been a strong one, and Lakewood High School teacher Rachel Thron has felt that love this year.
In June, Thron was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had to stop teaching for the first time in 11 years to undergo a mastectomy and begin chemotherapy. Thron was taken in by coworker Dana Brown, and her husband Geoff, and he’s been recovering with a lot of help from her friends.
“I’m almost grateful for the diagnosis because it brought all of these wonderful people into my life… They were already my good friends, but they’re my family now,” Thron said.
“Any time Rachel’s name is mentioned in front of students who had her (as a teacher)( they instantly say. ‘She is so sweet!’,” said Lakewood co worker Aubray Zell. “Any time you talked with her, she’d be there nodding along being the most understanding confidant.”
Zell organized a GoFundMe campaign for Thron’s medical costs, and helped organize a picture of Lakewood teachers wearing “Thron Strong” shirts to show their support.
“Once we found out about her diagnosis, we all just wanted to make her know how much we missed her and were thinking of her day by day and trying to give back the energy she always gave us,” Zell added.
Thron is an incredibly energetic educator who hasn’t lost her lust for life despite her recent struggles.
“I couldn’t do it without the Brown’s and people from Lakewood,” Thron said. “They’re making it so I can just focus on getting better.”
Thron went from the restaurant industry to teaching a little over a decade ago, and she thinks it’s the best decision she’s ever made. A chance opportunity to do student teaching and get her first job at Lakewood was certainly serendipitous.
“I love the school, I love the kids. It’s like a dream, and I drive home grateful for where I am in life right now,” Thron said.
The June 26th diagnosis of multiple malignant tumors didn’t come as a shock to Thron because it runs in her family. Her sister died from breast cancer.
“I kind of thought it would happen eventually, to be honest,” Thron said. “But I will never forget it, that was maybe the worst moment ever.”
Resulting surgeries and adjusted diagnosis were torture for Thron.
“Every time I’ve gone back it’s just been one more thing, one more thing, and I’m grateful because (the doctors) can’t control the cancer, all they’re doing is curing it, so they’re like the good guys, but it’s been a real roller coaster,” she said.
The Brown family took Thron in and has handled her room and board since the summer.
Thron has also received support from current and former students.
“Adults know what to say but kids don’t have a filter, and that’s better, they’ll just say, ‘Cancer sucks, give me a call!’ It’s so sweet,” she said. “All of this support has given me the courage and strength to fight this and get back (to work). I feel like when this is all said and done my life will be so much better afterwards.”
