The idea emerged when a few National Honor Society (NHS) members brainstormed volunteer ideas for the new school year. NHS officers knew math teacher, Patty Bartell was not going to participate in Secret Scholar like she did every year- and they knew why. According to some NHS members, they wanted to do something special for her because many of them know and love her as a teacher. Their idea: a surprise care package each week–a gesture that did not go unappreciated.

“It was such a pleasant surprise,” Bartell said. “It is so nice to know that all of my students care so much about me. I am truly thankful.”

Bartell, who was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year, has been offered support from all sorts of angles in her life. Help from her community, family, co-workers, students and other cancer patients have all encouraged her to stand strong.

“I’ve met so many new people along the way,” Bartell said. “I’ve made a lot of friends at chemo. We have a lot in common, and it’s easier to talk to them because they know what I’m going through.”

Her family takes her to chemotherapy once a week, and her co-workers offer her an enormous amount of help by cheering her up at work. The baskets provided by NHS students are one of the most unique types of support Bartell recieves.

“Once a week NHS drops off a care package,” Bartell said. “One week it was full of chocolate, and the next week was full of things that had anything to do with cancer awareness like the pink bracelets and pink socks.”

NHS decided to give Bartell the packages on Fridays because that is when she recives chemotherapy.

“We thought it would be a good idea to give gifts and care packages to her on Fridays to show that that we were thinking of her,” NHS President Aly Bouquet said. “We thought it would be a great idea, so the next meeting we planned it, and it became a huge hit.”

Before the weekly gifts, Bartell was disappointed she could not participate in Secret Scholar due to her cancer. But after she received her first care package, she became a part of the fun again.

“I knew Aly needed people for Secret Scholars, and I felt bad I couldn’t do it,“ Bartell said. “After I received my first gift, I felt like I had ten Secret Scholars.”

The themed care packages became a fun activity for Bartell. Her son Andy Bartell can tell a difference. The care packages lift her spirits and are somethings she looks forward to.

“One of her favorite gifts was the one with all of the chocolate in it,” Andy said. “She was so excited because she loves chocolate.”

Although the Bartell family is faced with a struggle, they do their best to make it as positive as they can, and they try to see the great things they can take out of the situation. Co-workers at FHN who have dealt with breast cancer show a helping hand too. Science teacher Dawn Hahn, who’s mother passed away after struggling with breast cancer, helps Bartell and others fight the breast cancer battle. Hahn and her 2008 basketball team created the annual pink ribbon game that raises money for breast cancer research.

“When my mom had passed away from breast cancer, I wanted to donate a piece of my life to her,” Hahn said. “My basketball team I was coaching at the time came up with an idea of a pink ribbon game. They heard of other schools doing it and really liked it. After that game, it became a cool tradition at North.”

Hahn also is also grateful to everyone else who helps support Bartell.

“It’s really cool that NHS is doing that for her,” Hahn said.

In the midst of all the fighting and struggling, positive aspects are still coming out of this situation for Bartell. She said the support helps her astronomically, whether it’s care packages from her students, breast cancer fund raising from  teachers or new friends she meet that she can relate to.

“Dealing with the unknown has made me realize that you have to take things as they come. You can’t worry about it because there is nothing you can do to change it, but there are treatments and there are things offered to me that I can take advantage of, “ Bartell said. “You can only worry about what you can do and appreciate that it’s there.”