Teacher shares cancer experience with students - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Kaylene Kramer was diagnosed with breast cancer in October of last year. This wife and mother of two remembers breaking the news to her 10-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter.

Kaylene says, "My daughter took it very well. She understood. When I told her about my hair, she asked can I go pick out the wig with you. But our son took it a lot harder just because he is more aware of what cancer is."

The first grade class at Lakota Elementary is also very aware of cancer. They've watched their teacher lose her hair, and Thursday they watched as she used Skype to read them a story during a chemo-therapy treatment.

Kaylene explains why she decided to Skype every 3 weeks during treatment. "To keep consistency in the classroom. And in a way, they think the camera is always on and I'm watching them, so it kind of helps with classroom management. Another thing is that this is going to happen to someone they know very close, so that way it's not too hard for them.

But its still very hard for Kaylene's husband Eric. He says, "I take it very hard. In fact, this week it breaks me up quite a bit. I thought the worst when I heard it. I could lose my best friend, but as time goes I see she is getting better and so I'm handling it a lot better."

Eric says he marvels at how his wife is coping with cancer. "Seeing her get up for work every morning and still go to work and do this Skyping on her own time is amazing to me."

It amazes her students too. Kaylene says she will have some sort of surgery to remove the lump on her breast. "After that, there will be either another round of chemo or radiation."

But in this moment, she doesn't have the worries of a patient. Today, she's just Mrs. Kramer. A teacher who refuses to let cancer keep her from her first grade class.