Principal's Cancer Teaches Lesson

Some Tri-State elementary school students are getting a life lesson - at school. The Whitesville Elementary School principal was diagnosed with breast cancer at the beginning of summer. Principal Cindy Appleby just finished her six and a half week radiation treatment for breast cancer. But battling the cancer wasnt easy for someone trying to keep up with hundreds of elementary school students. To her surprise the kids surrounded Appleby with weeks of support - in return they learned more than a book could ever teach. Its a typical day of learning at Whitesville Elementary school. First graders are silently reading. Others are enjoying their lunch. But throughout the school you may notice pink seems to be taking over. Its all for principal Cindy Appleby. "Shes nice and shes the best principal Ill ever have," says third grader Mason Whistle. She also just finished battling breast cancer. "I had the best kind of breasts cancer you can have if there is a best kind." And she was a little nervous about telling her 406 students thinking they may not understand, "but the kids have been my cure and my best support system." The entire school rallied behind Appleby "One day I came to school and there were pink ribbons." Showering the school in pink and dawning pink clothes every Wednesday. "It makes me feel a little ticklish inside and it makes me feel good," says Whistle. The initial intention for the pink you see was support but it ended up turning into a life lesson the kids could never find in a book. Such young children arent always exposed to someone so close who is fighting cancer. "I think its important for someone to see they can have this and get well," says Appleby. Now that Appleby is well the pink will slowly start fading out, but neither the kids nor their principal will forget the lesson of life and support during Applebys battle. Appleby has a family history of cancer so she was getting checked regularly. But she recommends all women look into getting MRIs along with their regular mammograms. For the school - the pink ribbons will soon be replaced with blue - at the end of November Whitesville Elementary will be recognized as a blue ribbon school.