NAMPA, Idaho — Shawn Tegethoff is the principal at Franklin D. Roosevelt Elementary in Nampa. She has been there for over ten years.
In recent months, things have been a bit more challenging for Tegethoff. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in October, and she has still been working.
"At first, I thought I'd keep it private, and that was not working, so I decided why not be visible, this is something that women go through... we need to just own this, and go for it, so our counselor went to every single classroom and talked to them about what happens when someone you love has cancer," Tegethoff said.
The 550 students at Roosevelt call her Mrs. Shawn, and she said she has the best support system.
Her diagnosis was a shock, she said.
"I went in for a general check-up over the summer, and my doctor said 'hey, you are 50 now, you need to go in and get a mammogram, pinky promise me that you'll do it,' and I did," Tegethoff said. "That's how I found out."
She had not had a mammogram since she was 40. She thought she was healthy, but she found out that was not the case.
"I had absolutely no symptoms, I didn't know anything was wrong," she said. "I had simply given my doctor the promise that I would go in. It was a big surprise that I was not expecting."
Since her diagnosis, she has been balancing her chemotherapy treatments with her job. She said her team makes it possible.
"I have so much support with not only the staff, but the parents, the children, they have all been very supportive," Tegethoff said. "They wear pink every Wednesday just for me."
On top of all that support, something really special happened with one particular student.
"I was feeling pretty down about myself, I had just shaved my head, and it was a new look. I usually have long hair," she said. "I was in the back hallway getting ready to greet the kids, and the doors opened, the busses let off. Here comes this little boy just b-lining for me."
That boy was second grade student, Hudson Ward. He had shaved his head to support her.
"When I got to school, I was very excited, and she was standing in the middle of the hallway," Hudson said.
"He said, 'look,' He grabbed his hat and took it off, and there he was with a shaved head," Tegethoff said. "I just started crying. It was one of the most remarkable moments of my life. I said Hudson thank you so much for shaving your head, that gives me so much hope, and I can do this."
Hudson said he did it for a special reason; "I did it because I didn't want Mrs. Shawn to feel alone, and I wanted her to be happy."
It was a touching moment for both of them. The school posted the story of what happened on Facebook.
"The comments were overwhelming," Tegethoff said. "They just love Hudson and what he did. Hudson has a magical way about him that just draws people together and gives you hope in humanity that you maybe didn't have before. He is just an amazing kid."
Hudson said it felt like the right thing to do.
"I just want her to feel okay and always be happy," he said. "I will always help you anytime you need it."
Tegethoff has a powerful message for all women over 40; "Grab a friend and go. Go get a mammogram every year. It could save your life."
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