Home Is Where The Heart Is

Meet Mrs. Taylor

Welcome back to the RVA Purple Perspective. For my final blog, I will be featuring someone very special to my family, Beth Taylor. Beth has been part of our lives for many years now. She has touched not only our hearts but many others. Beth Taylor started her career as a special education teacher and taught in the classroom for 34 years. After retirement, she longed to teach students again and decided to become a homebound teacher.

What Does it Mean to Be a Homebound Teacher?

"A homebound teacher works with students who have been suspended, or who have health or behavioral issues that keep them from attending school for an extended period of time." Homebound teachers instruct and assist with schoolwork during the duration the student is missing from in-person learning. Beth has worked mainly with students who have health issues such as surgery, broken bones, mental health problems, or cancer. “I try to help reassure the families by being the go-between from home and school. I tell them not to worry about the school piece and to let me handle it.”

How We Met

When I was in sixth grade, I had experimental spinal surgery and was out of school for six weeks. Mrs. Taylor was my teacher during my recovery and came over daily for a few hours. We formed a close bond, but ultimately, our time came to an end. I thought that would be the last time I saw her, but our paths would cross again. About a year later, Lauren relapsed at the beginning of Kindergarten in 2015. Since Lauren was missing school, Mrs. Taylor became her homebound teacher. Years later, Mrs. Taylor is still a part of our daily lives and has become more like our family.

From the Perspective of Beth Taylor

As I sat next to Beth during the interview, we cried thinking about how sickly Lauren was and how far we have come since her relapse. Beth reflected on a time when Lauren was at her lowest. “At the end of November when Lauren relapsed, Lauren was very sick. I came over to get my eyes on her and to see how she was doing. She was laying on the couch, with a feeding tube in her nose.” Lauren had what was called hypersomnolence at that time as a result of the radiation. “She was so sick she couldn’t even lift her head and she was so thin and frail. It took all I had not to cry, but I waited till I got out of the house to my car and just burst into tears. I did not think she was going to make it during that time. When I look at her now with her sweet cheeks, her hair, and her sassiness, I remember that sad time with her. Watching her learn and seeing her blossom into a young lady now overwhelms me with joy. I am delighted she can have such a life after everything she has been through.”

A Home at the Children’s Hospital

On Thanksgiving 2012, my sister was not able to make it home for the holidays. Instead of having Thanksgiving in our dining room, Connor’s Heroes and the hospital staff brought home to the hospital. They filled a conference room with festive decoration, delicious food, and most importantly, our family. That is the day I realized a building doesn’t make a home, family does. The Children’s Hospital recognizes this and is building a Wonder Tower to provide a kid-friendly space for patients, families, doctors, friends, and even homebound teachers to congregate. It brings in-patient, emergency, and out-patient care all under one roof. In essence, it would be a one-stop shop for all children’s medical and well-being needs.

School From A Hospital Bed

Before there was a Children’s Hospital of Richmond, Beth taught Lauren in a crowded VCU pavilion. She has taught four cancer patients in her career. One being Lauren with brain cancer and the others being eye cancer, leg cancer, and leukemia. Beth said the hardest part of teaching cancer patients is that they do not always feel well enough to work. “I remember going to the hospital "fishbowl" with Lauren and another girl and trying to do work with them while they received chemo. Lauren was my first cancer patient, so I didn't know what to expect. I go walking into the hospital with all of my worksheets and my school supplies ready to work. That little girl was laying in her stroller with the chemo hooked up to her, no hair, and I’m like what? How am I going to work with this child? She is just trying not to throw up.”

Coping With Loss

Mrs. Taylor also helped a 16-year-old girl diagnosed with rare cancer in her leg that metastasized to the rest of her body. She and Beth formed a close relationship. She was not just her teacher, she was her friend. Unfortunately, this beautiful soul is no longer with us. “I did not realize till I lost her to cancer how many other homebound teachers have lost students. The hardest part was at the end when the doctors told her there was nothing else they could do. She was angry and sad, but about a week before she died, her mom and I sat in her bedroom with her, and we just talked all about life experiences. She was talking like she was going to live. After that, her condition declined rapidly, and my heart was not prepared to lose her.” When I asked Beth what she does to cope, she said "I lean on my faith." She emphasized everything happens for a reason, and you have to have faith that everything will be alright.

Tip From a Teacher

As you might be able to tell, Beth is a very selfless and caring person and has helped students during some of the toughest of learning environments. During the pandemic, we are all fighting an uphill battle with motivation, especially students. Beth explained when her students are struggling to finish their work, she will give them an incentive to work towards or she will break their work into smaller chunks. After every week with Lauren, she would bring her favorite candy to reward her hard work. “Sometimes students need that push to complete their work, and by the end of the week, they can get their special treat.”

It is more crucial now than ever to find a learning style that works best for you. If you haven’t already, try taking scheduled breaks to do whatever you want, but once the break is over, get back to finishing your work and reward yourself when it’s completed.

Long-Lasting Impacts

Lastly, as many of you know, I support an amazing charity called Connor’s Heroes. They are dedicated to helping families battling childhood cancer in the Richmond area. They are raising funding for the cancer-specific floor in the new “Wonder Tower” in-patient tower at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond. If you are able, please consider donating to this link and leave a lasting legacy for all children suffering from childhood cancer.

Since this is my last blog post, I want to say thank you for all the love and support I have received on this project. It has truly been amazing and I am forever grateful. I hope you gained some insight into the lives of pediatric cancer patients and implemented some of their advice in your lives.

---

1. All feedback and suggestions are encouraged! Click here to tell us what you think.

2. Donation link to the Children's Hospital of Richmond Wonder Tower: Click Here

- 100% of the proceeds are going to the building of the cancer-specific in-patient floor of the Wonder Tower "Rooms Filled with Hope"

3. Learn More About Connor's Heroes and How to Help Page