Colleagues come together for teacher battling cancer

5th grade teacher Priscilla Aguilar hands out assignments and looks over her students shoulders like any other teacher.

At first sight you wouldn’t know she’s fighting stage four cancer.

Aguilar like many other teachers, grabs the attention of her class.

She has been teaching 10 years at Paso Del Norte elementary school shaping young minds.

But one day Aguilar’s health got the best of her.

“I got a stomach ache and I thought it was just the flu,” said Aguilar.

A few days later she had a seizure collapsing in the parking lot of a drug store.

After seeing a doctor and undergoing extensive tests, the results weren’t good.

“He diagnosed me with a tumor behind my left eye the size of a lemon,” said Aguilar.

Three days later surgeons removed 90% of the tumor but it wasn’t enough.

Aguilar was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer.

“My life expectancy is only fourteen months,” said Aguilar.

But she fights on and continues to teach her class. The scars still visible under her hat.

“When they said I couldn’t comeback it was like a mission for me, so I needed to come back for the last month and be with my students,” said Aguilar.

“She’s a huge asset,” said Assistant Principle Leticia Hernandez.

Hernandez tells ABC-7 Aguilar was voted Teacher of the Year in 2013.

“She’s really a cheerleader to the students. She really motivates them,” said Hernandez.

It shows, students march the halls and paint banners in support of Aguilar.

Aguilar is heading to Austin for an experimental treatment. She tells ABC-7 she has a lot of hope and a lot to live for as her own children sit in in her class.

“I have three small kids, my youngest is only 9, I worry that I won’t see him grow up, that I won’t see him get married, have kids,” said Aguilar.

Colleagues are now organizing the J&G Silva Race For Hope to help Aguilar with the costs of fighting the disease and a chance at life.

“Maybe I won’t be able to be there for every milestone but at least to finish their education. To be with them and I’m hoping to buy time,” said Aguilar.

https://www.raceadventuresunlimited.com/J-G-Silva-Race-For-Hope/982/details

http://www.gofundme.com/PriscillaAguilar