Tale of the traveling pink poncho

Here’s a somewhat sad — but inspirational — story about four good friends, all State Rd. Elementary School teachers, and the kindness and unwavering support they’ve shown each other through some of life’s darkest times.

Our story begins last August, just before school started, when Lisa Babineau, a psychologist at State Rd. Elementary School, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She began her 4-week course of radiation at the Pluta Cancer Center in September.

Now, they have something really neat at Pluta, called the “Poncho Project.” At the very beginning of their course of radiation, every breast cancer patient is given a bright pink fleece poncho instead of a standard-issue hospital gown. The poncho serves two purposes: to keep the patient warm and comfortable and reduce the embarrassment often caused by the ill-fitting and revealing hospital gowns.

Each poncho is made by a volunteer and comes with a tag which reads,

This poncho was designed by one of Dr. Marilyn Ling’s patients who felt the standard-issue hospital gown was a poor choice for women undergoing daily radiation treatments. We hope that you will use this poncho as a daily reminder that you have warmth and support enveloping you.

Lisa, of course, wore it every day while she was undergoing treatment.

“I think it’s really comfortable, and it feels like a hug,” she said. “They didn’t want women feel like they have to get in a gown every day of radiation, so you get to wear this poncho, and you feel the support and love of all the women who have come before you.”

As it so happened, some months earlier, State Rd. 5th grade teacher Sandy Pray was also diagnosed with cancer. Hers was so invasive, however, that her treatment began with surgery and chemotherapy. She was going to the Lipson Cancer Institute, which doesn’t hand out ponchos to its patients. No worries, however. By the time Sandy had completed the first steps of her treatment, Lisa was done with her radiation. She handed the warm and wonderful poncho over to her good friend Sandy, who used it through her seven weeks of radiation.

It would be great if our story ended there, but it did not. During Sandy’s course of treatment, Pat Sweetland, a regular and well-beloved State Rd. Elementary School substitute, was also diagnosed with breast cancer.

Sandy remembered that Pat had messaged her to tell her what was going on. “(Pat) said, ‘We’re in a club that nobody wants to be in.'”

By now, all of the State Rd. friends had been supporting each other for so long that Pat knew in the back of her mind that she’d be inheriting the poncho. She remembers the day Sandy brought it to Plank Rd. North, where she was substituting.

“(The secretary) brought it right down to me,” Pat remembered. “She said ‘Open it up, we want to see what’s in it.’ … I said, ‘What is this?’ And then I realized.” It came with a sweet note from Sandy, which read, “We’re passing on the love that we shared.”

Pat Sweetland began her 4-week course of radiation in January. When she was done, she returned the poncho to Lisa Babineau for safekeeping, hoping it would never again see the light of day.

If would be great if our story ended there, but it did not.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be great if I’m the end of the chain,” Pat said. “But I know this is going to somebody, and that’s kind of depressing. But wonderful.”

She was right. This past March — exactly one year from the day that Sandy Pray was diagnosed with a rare cancer — Patti Feeley, a retired 4th grade State Rd. Elementary teacher, was diagnosed with the exact same cancer.

“I went to visit Lisa one day,” Patti said. “She went into the closet and came out with a bag, and said, here’s your poncho.” Patti began her radiation treatments this week.

It’s hard to believe that four teachers who work in the same school could all be diagnosed with breast cancer within one year. But it’s been a real blessing that these friends have been able to support each other in such a meaningful way.

Patti said, “The teachers just circle the wagons … current teachers and lot of the retired teachers that we’ve known for years. Your mailbox is just overflowing with notes and cards, (saying) you’ve got this. There’s nothing like our camaraderie.”

“It’s a club nobody wants to belong to,” she continued. “But if you have to belong to it, it’s a good thing to have each other.”

“There’s nothing like teacher love.”

* * *

email me  at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)

You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).

(posted 6/18/2024)

Tags: Missy Rosenberry, Pluta Cancer Center, State Rd. Elementary School, Webster Central Schools, Webster NY