The Lima News

Always a teacher, a symbol of courage

Happiness isnt about getting what you want, its about loving what you have. Monica Berger lived her life that way for 28 years. Her passion was teaching, and she taught her first-graders not only about addition, but how to face lifes hurdles with courage and a smile. Those were gifts she learned from her parents, Linda and Lima Mayor David Berger, and something she passed on to others. In October 2006, Monica was diagnosed with breast cancer. She lost that battle on Feb. 11, 2011, just four days before her 29th birthday. She never stopped teaching, as evident from the speech she gave May 5, 2007, during a Walk for Cure banquet at Ohio University. We share her remarks with you today:

MONICAS STORY

C O M M E N TA RY I I

Sunday, February 20, 2011

D7

By MONICA BERGER I would like to thank Ohio University and the UPC for inviting me to speak today. I am honored to be back at my alma mater to share my story with you during one of my favorite OU weekends: Moms weekend. After spending four amazing years here at Ohio University, I graduated in 2004 with a bachelors degree in education. The following summer I moved to Durham, N.C., where I taught fourth grade for a year. I then had the opportunity to move back to Ohio and teach first grade near where I grew up in Lima. During a routine doctors visit in October of 2005, I had a few concerns, one of which was a spot on my breast. I was afraid it might be skin cancer because of all the time Ive spent in the sun, but the examiner disregarded my concern. At the risk of being viewed as a hypochondriac, I did not feel comfortable pointing out that I also felt a lump in my breast. I thought, She is the professional, if she doesnt feel anything, then everything should be fine. She did not report anything out of the ordinary. The following summer, I noticed that the lump I was concerned about had gotten larger. I talked with my mom about this and she told me that she has a history of fibrotic cysts, which are fluid filled and non-cancerous. She still encouraged me to get it checked out, even though we have no family history of breast cancer. Then, in October 2006, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Shortly thereafter we learned that it was stage 4, meaning it had spread to other parts of my body. A second opinion with the Ohio State James Cancer Center in Columbus confirmed my diagnosis. Since October, I have had numerous physician visits, two different types of chemotherapy and a weeklong hospital stay. Since I am teaching first graders, who tend to spread germs easily, I also am receiving an immune boosting shot after my chemo treatments. From day one, I have continued to teach, while making all efforts to keep my absences to a minimum. Speaking of my job and my young students, I felt it was important to explain to them what to expect as I progressed

Photo courtesy of Michael Ayers

Monica Berger with first-grade pupils at Shawnee Elmwood Elementary School in 2007.

I knew that if I took the fear out of the unknown, it wouldnt be as scary.
through this journey. I knew that if I took the fear out of the unknown, it wouldnt be as scary for them. I feel that sometimes as adults, we do not give children enough credit. I was very up-front and honest, and explained things very matter-of-factly. After first informing their parents, I discussed cancer and the side effects of chemotherapy with my students. I allowed the children to share stories and ask me any questions that they wished. Before my hair began to fall out, I had an idea. I thought that a great connection to make for my students would be to read a book about autumn, since that was the season we were experiencing at the time. I explained that just as the leaves fall to the ground in autumn and grow back in the springtime, the same would be happening with my hair. I told them not to worry, it would eventually grow back. The following week, I was scheduled to pick up my wig. It just so happened that same morning, my hair began to fall out in the shower. After a suggestion from a good friend, I decided to take matters into

my own hands. I wasnt going to let cancer take my hair away from me, so I did it myself! I shaved it bald that night while picking up my wig. I have to say that moment was so empowering! And really, how many women can experience shaving their own heads (unless youre Brittney Spears!) Of course when I returned to school with my new magic hair, as my 4-year-old niece likes to refer to it, I had lots of different reactions. When my students asked to see my bald head, I had no problem sharing it. I did warn them that if they didnt want to look they didnt have to. Of course they all did and were a bit shocked. I think the best comment I got was, Ms. Berger, you look like a boy! Oh, how honest they can be! On a side note, once I was diagnosed, I immediately stopped taking my birth control pills which I had been taking since age 14 due to menstrual cramps. My doctors informed me that the type of cancer I have feeds off estrogen. There are currently studies being done relating birth control pills, and the early onset of breast cancer. I mention this, because I personally feel that every young woman should be aware of this possible link. This July I have opted to undergo a mastectomy. This surgery will remove my entire breast, as well as the infected lymph nodes under my arm. I will receive my last planned chemo treatment on Friday, May 18th. After the treatment I will continue to fight the disease with an oral medication as well as radiation. All along I feel like I have kept a positive attitude and I continue to live my life as normally as possible (even celebrating my 25th birthday this past February, here in Athens, on Court Street, with my college friends). In addition, I have planned a two-week trip this June to back-pack with a friend through Europe. I feel I have grown immensely through this experience and I have been surrounded by so many supportive friends and family. Most importantly I do not know where I would be without the support of the women in my family. My mother, my oldest sister Karmi and my niece Nina join me today in this Walk for a Cure. (My other sister Jennifer, who lives in California, would be here if she could.) Having my mom by my side through every step of the way is comforting and reassuring. I feel blessed to have such a close relationship with her. Please take the time today and thank your mom for being here with you. I hope that by sharing my story, other women, both old and young, will take a more active role in their personal health. I want to stress how important it is to listen to your body. (You are not a hypochondriac!) Early detection is key. Please hold your doctors accountable. Ask questions. Share your concerns, and always seek a second opinion.

LETTERS Senate Bill 5 would bankrupt Ohios working families

I urge you to contact your elected officials and demand they vote against Senate Bill 5. I find myself both furious and flabbergasted that a fellow Ohioan would propose such a travesty and insult to the Ohio worker. The pay scales proposed date back about 20 years. Proposals like this are the reason collective bargaining was created. This bill would potentially bankrupt thousands of Ohioans like me. People would leave this state in droves. The state is in financial difficulty at this time, but I need look no further than the Ohio inspector generals site to see huge amounts of waste and fraud. There is little integrity in the multiple layers of management the state has in place, yet the state appears to want to extradite itself by penalizing and financially crippling the workers. Finger pointing can go on all day. Corrupt management, not going after the rule breakers and holding them financially and legally responsible, and poor decisions by decision makers are what has damaged the budget. Passing of this bill would destroy the future of so many, and I am imploring you to oppose it. Marsha Loebbaka, Elida ond language, but history has chosen English for now, and it does serve better than many. Again, we cannot consider all those points here. Most of our states require English just for official use, thus reducing numerous costs. Lets join them. Check USEnglish.com. Ronald Rich, Bluffton

Dayton Childrens would lose funding in Obama budget

President Barack Obama, in his fiscal year 2012 budget, has proposed to eliminate funding that helps childrens teaching hospitals train pediatricians to care for kids. The White House explains that the program elimination is necessary to offset the training of primary care providers. This rationale begs the question, Then what are pediatricians? Pediatricians are primary care providers for neonates, infants and children. Forty percent of all pediatricians there are roughly 58,000 in the country are trained at childrens hospitals like Dayton Childrens. Out of this years graduating residency class, more than 70 percent of our residents are training to become primary care pediatricians. Nearly half of our residents stay on to practice pediatric medicine in Ohio. Well-trained, compassionate pediatricians are our childrens best chance for a healthy life and the best answer to preventing and treating disease, chronic illness and injury. As a childrens teaching hospital we willingly embrace the added responsibility to train childrens doctors. Prior to 1999 when federal support for childrens hospitals teaching programs was enacted, the nation saw a 13-percent reduction in the number of pediatric residency programs. Without federal support of this critical program, we will not be able to bear the full financial burden that teaching the next generation of pediatricians requires. As a result, our residency program will shrink and families in our community will face difficulty in accessing expert pediatric care. We are therefore reaching out to members of our congressional delegation to ensure they understand the importance of the Childrens Hospitals Graduate Medical Education Program to ensure that parents in our community will continue to have access to physicians trained to meet childrens unique health care needs. We hope this understanding will be reflected in their fiscal year 2012 budget proposal later this spring. Dr. Arthur Pickoff is chairman of the Pediatrics/Community Health Department at Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine (www.childrensdayton.org).

Delays from Lima postal closing causing problems for Dunkirk

the Dunkirk Board of Public Affairs would like to voice its concerns with the new distribution of its mail through the Toledo location. It was said that mailing practices would not have to change with the closing of the Lima location, but this village is seeing many problems arising from this change. Currently, the Board of Public Affairs noted most all of the stubs returned with utility payments had stickers with the following markings: Unable to forward/for review. No forwarding order on file. Return to postmaster of original addressee for review. This redirection of utility bills caused many bills to get to the intended customer very close to, and even after, the due date of the bills. While the Board of Public Affairs will allow for those delays and adjust the penalties, it is time and corrections caused by the toledo Postal Service distribution center. Secondly, the standard 30-day billing cycle is no longer working as there is not enough time for a bill to arrive and payment to be received within that time period. Village taxpayers essentially are being assessed late fees because of the newly occuring delays. Does

the U.S. Postal Service intend to reimburse those fees when Postal Service delays are the cause of the fees being assessed? These issues were never a problem prior to the closing of the Lima distribution location, known as the most efficiently run distribution center in Ohio. How can the Postal Service justify its decision when business practices in place for more than 50 years no longer work because of the closing of the Lima location? Phyllis J. Spencer is fiscal officer for Dunkirk, in northwestern Hardin County.

Perry baseball coach says thanks for years of support

On Jan. 21, I had the honor and privilege of being inducted into the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Hall of Fame. This letter is to recognize the many people who helped make this memorable day possible. First, I would like to thank all the former coaches and players, current coaches, parents, friends, board members and our superintendent for your attendance at this event. I was able to mention each of you and thank you for your many contributions and support over my 39 years of varsity coaching. Next, I want to give a big thanks to the Perry and Lima community for the dozens of cards, notes and short letters I have received. A special thanks to former Ohio Northern University basketball coach Joe Campoli for the beautiful plaque, and to Lima News sports reporter Tom Usher for

his very kind article concerning the induction. Thank you, Tom, for your many years of covering our games and tournament runs. You always treated us with great respect. Also, thanks to the Rumbaugh families for your thoughtful card and gift. Finally, I would like to say to all those mentioned above that, although this award was given to me, it really belongs to all of you. No one is successful by himself, and I was fortunate to have been surrounded by many quality people. Thanks to you all for the many great memories. Phil Krouskop retired as Perry High School baseball coach.

Learn languages, but English should be official language

I appreciate the libertarian point in Tuesdays editorial against requiring English here, and I agree that we should learn other languages and approve their use at home, although we should strongly encourage English for general use. I lack space to answer several other points but note that many countries, including Mexico, promote unity by choosing one official language. Canada, Belgium and so on do not have that, and they feel constant friction as a result. Various African and other countries reduce internal differences by adopting English officially. I would prefer an artificial language as the international one and everyones sec-