Preschool teacher Karlina Gracia receiving support from friends and coworkers
Karlina Gracia watched one of her students paint a paper flower, as if it were any other day at the First Presbyterian Church preschool.
To anyone who walked into Gracia's classroom, it would be hard to tell that she was diagnosed in April with two incurable diseases -- multiple myeloma and amyloidosis.
"Coming here and being with the little kids, you forget you're sick," said Gracia, who has worked at the preschool for 14 years. "You're too busy, so I'm going to keep working as long as I can."
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer and amyloidosis causes proteins to form on internal organs and tissue.
Gracia said she has started chemotherapy and is taking medication.
"I'm just going to fight and I'm going to win," said Gracia, 53, of Ontario. "You don't have a lot of choices, but that's what I'm doing."
She won't be alone in the fight, though.
To help mitigate the costs associated with seeking treatment, a group of the preschool's parents and teachers have organized a bunco fundraiser in her honor.
"Really, what we're doing is supporting her, so she can afford her medical premiums to continue," preschool director Sherri Provencher said. "The school has no state disability insurance, so therefore, there is no income coming in for her at all if she's not working. That's the difficult part."
The fundraiser is at 7 p.m. May 15 at the First Presbyterian Church Preschool, 869 N. Euclid Ave. in Upland. A donation of $25 is suggested for the event, but any amount will be appreciated.
Information: (909) 982-8616.
"It's amazing all the support I've gotten," Gracia said. "I can't thank them enough. How do you say thank you to something like this."
Read more in the Thursday May 7 edition of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin newspaper.
To anyone who walked into Gracia's classroom, it would be hard to tell that she was diagnosed in April with two incurable diseases -- multiple myeloma and amyloidosis.
"Coming here and being with the little kids, you forget you're sick," said Gracia, who has worked at the preschool for 14 years. "You're too busy, so I'm going to keep working as long as I can."
Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer and amyloidosis causes proteins to form on internal organs and tissue.
Gracia said she has started chemotherapy and is taking medication.
"I'm just going to fight and I'm going to win," said Gracia, 53, of Ontario. "You don't have a lot of choices, but that's what I'm doing."
She won't be alone in the fight, though.
To help mitigate the costs associated with seeking treatment, a group of the preschool's parents and teachers have organized a bunco fundraiser in her honor.
"Really, what we're doing is supporting her, so she can afford her medical premiums to continue," preschool director Sherri Provencher said. "The school has no state disability insurance, so therefore, there is no income coming in for her at all if she's not working. That's the difficult part."
The fundraiser is at 7 p.m. May 15 at the First Presbyterian Church Preschool, 869 N. Euclid Ave. in Upland. A donation of $25 is suggested for the event, but any amount will be appreciated.
Information: (909) 982-8616.
"It's amazing all the support I've gotten," Gracia said. "I can't thank them enough. How do you say thank you to something like this."
Read more in the Thursday May 7 edition of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin newspaper.
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