Takeyce Dow (left) and Melissa Layne pose by their decorated door, a tribute to a colleague fighting cancer.
The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk has special meaning for staff at PS 233 in Brooklyn as they try in every way possible to support a colleague in the final stages of breast cancer that has metastasized to her liver.
Colleagues not only have donated sick days to 3rd-grade teacher Jeanelle Walcott, now on medical leave; they also held a marathon schoolwide decorating day and fundraising campaign.
Their Opening the Door to a Cure tribute to Walcott’s fight included decorating their classroom doors in pink, while staff and students wore pink. PTA members joined in the Oct. 18 tribute.
A photo book of the doorways and students along with the fundraising donations was presented to the veteran teacher, who has been at the East Flatbush school for 12 years. Her son is a 2nd-grader at the school.
Walcott’s mother, who described her daughter as “passionate about teaching,” said, “she needs a miracle.”
Third-grade teacher Takeyce Dow, who along with co-teacher Melissa Layne organized the tribute, noted that the school has two young teachers, both in their 30s, struggling with critical health issues,
Tricia Moses, also a 3rd-grade teacher, has an autoimmune disease that savaged her lungs. The New York Teacher carried a story about her struggle in the May 16 edition.
Some staffers extended their tribute by joining other Strides marchers at locations throughout the city on Oct. 20.