SAN ANTONIO – An area supervisor for child nutrition with NISD is serving hope to her school community after being diagnosed with cancer for the second time.
Terri Meza, 54, has been with the district for 21 years, but three years ago, she officially was promoted to the role she’s in today.
Sadly, that was the day she also learned she had Non-Hodgkins Follicular Lymphoma.
“I remember I was sitting in the parking lot of the oncologist and that is when I got the call,” Meza said. “My mind was racing that that worry of what they were telling me was almost out the window, because I worked so hard to get to that position. All I could really think was, ‘Ok, how do I balance this cancer and this role at the same time.’ I started thinking about financials, and chemo treatments and home things.”
She said she was encouraged to go to the doctor after she thought she was just suffering from allergies.
“It was in my lymph node,” she said. “And they always tell you it is stage one at first. Got the tests back. Ended up being stage four. So from my neck to my waist was lit up with cancer.”
But there was something more than chemo treatments that helped Meza get through this difficult obstacle in her life.
“I remember being in the child nutrition office and thinking, ‘How am I going to handle everything.’ I am sitting there with the child nutrition team and family and as I am getting organized, they came out of nowhere with this beautiful basket that had everything I could possibly need for anyone going through chemo. I cried, because I really appreciated that.”
Meza said it was the little things that helped her fight.
“‘Good morning. How are you doing today? Do you need anything?’ Those little things on top of coming every day to see the kids. The excitement of kitchens going. So many employees helping where they could. Mr. Albert. People I didn’t even know that well and who didn’t even know me reaching out to help and not because they had to, but because they wanted to. This as a team from child nutrition, from the babies, to leadership that helped me battle this cancer I have.”
Not to mention CC Nation helping with taking care of her three grandchildren, as she worked through her chemo treatments.
“The Carlos Schools,” she said. “During that journey with cancer, they all helped me raise my babies in school. If I was sick and couldn’t get out of the care, the counselors were there for them. They helped them with their education. Their little nation is what helped me on my grand babies part. Thank you CC Nation.”
Miraculously, Meza was cleared of any cancer after going through rounds of chemo, but sadly and recently, she learned that the cancer has returned.
She said she is not worried.
“I know that it is not just one person, it is a team that doesn’t have to, but has shown the support when I was dealing with stage four. Now this is stage one and I know that I am ready the second time. Lets go.”
On top of having her work family and home family, Meza credits the student body for blessing her with a happy 21 years.
She even still serves in the food lines today.
“I still serve,” she said, “I will help serve and come through the line. Or I will stand out there and ask, ‘Did you like this?’ They are very brutal and very honest. ‘I did not like this today. Well let’s see what you might like.’ They are very specific on what they want and how it looks so when they bring it is presentation and the kids do love it.”
She said they work hard to ensure the children of all grades have the good quality food and customer service to go with it. Doing this goes a long way for Meza.
“Whether you are serving or supervisor, the pleasure of seeing the kids different levels especially when you see one in kinder and you see them graduate,” she said. That is the most exciting thing. That is what fires you up and you say, ‘I want more.’ I want these kids happy. Hearing the laughter endplaying is what inspires you. And then you go to a 7/11 or somewhere and an adult comes approaches you and say, ‘Do you remember me? You fed me.’ That makes my day. You see kids and when they stop you and give you a hug and say thank you, it makes you go even harder because you are now servicing their kids.”
As Meza enters this new fight against cancer, she doesn’t want people to feel sorry for her. She wants her testimony to be encouragement for others.
“Whether it’s in the cafeteria or in the schools, they are never alone,” she said. “And if they need to, they can come talk to me because I am there for them. I want to pay it forward and thank them. They are the ones that need to be recognized. Not me.”
