FHSTheFlash The Flash Volume 54, Issue 1 October 2013 | Page 8

A Story About a Cook and
Savanna Di Stefano

same shockwave, they were great
supporters.
Flash Editor
“Reactions go in stages; It’s kind
of like grieving. There’s disbelief,
Six year old Katharine Cook looked
there’s anger, there’s sadness, and
up to her mother and asked, “What
there’s acceptance. My husband was
would you do without me?” She
with me when my doctor gave me
wants to be a nurse when she grows
my diagnosis. From the beginning,
up, and she reflected on that as her
he was supportive and positive.
mother explained what cancer is.
Were there times when I knew he
“My kids are young; they’re only
was scared? Absolutely. But, he was
six and eight,” English teacher Anne
110% there for me. My parents: same
Cook said, “How do I tell them,
thing. Complete
‘mommy’s hair’s
“A disease like cancer is your support, but there’s
going to fall out
cells becoming freakishly
sadness; there’s
and she’s going
abnormal, and you have
fear,” Cook said.
to be bald?’ So I
no control over that” - Mary
Cook is also not
made sure I was
Thompson
afraid to get her
optimistic in front
children involved
of them. I didn’t
with her fight against the ugly
think they needed a summer of being
disease. Both of Cook’s children
afraid or confused.”
helped to cut her hair before it began
Cook was diagnosed with stage
falling out.
three breast cancer on June
“I got to go with her when she cut
21st, 2013. She has undergone
her hair because she cut it way short
surgery and continues to receive
before she lost it, and she made it a
chemotherapy every three weeks;
point to have her kids with her, too,”
however, the outgoing teacher still
Mary Thompson, Coordinator of
manages to remain in high spirits
Student Services at Richard’s Middle
and continues to be a joy to her
School, said. “It was incredible,
family and the students she teaches.
watching those kids cut her hair
“I try to keep a sense of normalcy.
because they helped with it. It was
With the hair loss and stuff like
incredible. One of the most amazing
that we kind of just take it in stride
things I’ve ever seen.”
at our house, and my kids were
The