Returning to school this fall brought anxiety for many teachers. Simultaneously educating students both in person and behind a laptop came with its fair share of challenges.

But for Lehighton Area High School social studies teacher Laura Schiffer-Rapa, stepping back into her classroom was actually a return to normalcy and, more importantly, it meant the most difficult year of her life was behind her.

Schiffer-Rapa stepped away from teaching last November after her daughter McCoy, then 4 years old, was diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

“When we found out, we were blindsided,” she said. “Pediatric cancer seems exceptionally dreadful, and it is. Being faced with a child’s mortality is unnatural and goes against what we believe to be true. Being faced with your own child’s mortality is unbearable.”

McCoy, the only child of Schiffer-Rapa and her husband, Matthew, presented with cold symptoms and a low-grade fever. As symptoms continued, blood work showed something more serious needed to be addressed.

“The doctor actually called us at 3 a.m. and said you need to get her to the emergency room,” Schiffer-Rapa said. “When we heard leukemia, you just hit your knees. It was the scariest moment of my life. It shook our family to the core.”

Life changes on a dime

Before her diagnosis, McCoy was the typical 4-year-old full of sass and questions. She loves princesses and horses and, according to her mother, especially princesses who have horses.

“She was thrilled when Elsa received a horse in ‘Frozen 2’ because a reindeer just wasn’t cutting it,” Schiffer-Rapa said during a speech for the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley Hearts of Gold UN-Gala last month. “She danced and hugged aggressively that you know she meant it.”

Things changed, however, and McCoy became afraid of human touch from anyone other than her parents. She gained weight, then lost weight. She lost her hair and the ability to walk up stairs and run to her playset.

“So many things that people take for granted, she fights for every day,” Schiffer-Rapa said. “I will not diminish the disease’s sheer destructive power, but I have learned there is much beauty in this journey. Sometimes your darkest hours coincide with your brightest moments.”

The first year of McCoy’s treatment was intense. She received weekly treatment at an outpatient clinic and just recently reached the maintenance phase of her treatment.

McCoy still receives chemotherapy at home in lower doses, gets blood work at the hospital every other week, and receives an intravenous chemotherapy treatment once per month, also at the hospital.

“She’s doing really well at school,” Schiffer-Rapa said. “McCoy is very intuitive and empathetic. When she’s playing with kids on the playground, she’s the first to sit and comfort someone because she has that understanding of what it’s like not to feel well.”

One of the only things Schiffer-Rapa knew about cancer before McCoy’s diagnosis was that it takes many lives. But for as much as cancer takes, it gives a lot as well.

“Through our ongoing support groups, we have been connected to the most incredible families and other cancer moms,” Schiffer-Rapa said. “I hate that title. I hate that it is how I identify, but my goodness, do I love those women, and I adore their children.”

Return to the classroom

After one year away, Schiffer-Rapa, in her seventh year with Lehighton, made her return to the classroom last month.

Colleagues wore “Coy’s Crew” shirts in a reference to McCoy’s nickname, and students made cards to send to McCoy.

“Some people will say high school kids are harder to connect to, but my students have embraced the fact that they knew I was struggling, and they have been so compassionate,” Schiffer-Rapa said. “I think they’ve really learned a lot of life lessons as I was going through this.”

Lehighton Area High School Principal Sue Howland called McCoy one of her heroes.

“Each day she has responded unselfishly, making everyone around her smile,” Howland said. “Our goal was always to support McCoy, Laura and Matt. After breaking the news to staff at a faculty meeting, everyone rallied, collecting monetary donations, gifts for McCoy to lift her spirits and any form of support they could offer via internal and external gifts.”

Students approached Howland immediately about creating and selling bracelets to support the family and fight against pediatric cancer. Clubs such as the Art National Honor Society, National Honor Society and Student Council worked together to get the message out to support pediatric cancer awareness. Alumni and students created heartwarming inspirational videos for McCoy. Lehighton’s Red Cross club worked with the others and the Miller-Keystone Blood Bank to organize a blood drive in January.

“Immediately following the diagnosis, McCoy required many blood and platelet transfusions, and this was a way for our entire community to help with the fight,” Howland said. “My conversations with Laura have been some of most heartfelt ones ever with a staff member and friend. She continues to teach us every day to value life and look for the silver linings. Her return to LAHS has been uplifting and inspirational. However, the true inspiration is McCoy, the young, vibrant and beautiful 5-year-old who is teaching all of us.”

Rainbows

As part of the Pediatric Cancer Foundation of the Lehigh Valley Hearts of Gold UN-Gala, McCoy was tasked with creating a painting that would be auctioned to raise money.

After initially telling her mother she wanted to “just wing it,” McCoy settled on the very symbolic rainbow.

“Children fighting cancer are much like rainbows,” Schiffer-Rapa said. “They have endured a storm and yet they persevere. They shine brightly and bring hope of peace and healing. In my opinion, the most beautiful rainbows are those that appear while it is still raining because although the darkness has lifted, they are still fighting to be bright.”

McCoy’s painting was auctioned for $1,600.

Spending the last year at home with McCoy as she navigated leukemia treatments with the courage of a champion has taught Schiffer-Rapa the importance of following her child’s lead.

“If you ever have the chance to spend time with a child who has cancer, you will quickly recognize they are innately kind and empathetic,” she said. “They are compassionate and caring and brave and tenacious. They are all the things we want our children to be. But most importantly they are still kids. They have hopes and dreams and fears and they deserve a future.”