SAN ANTONIO – LEE High School students held their “Pink Out Game” for Breast Cancer Awareness Month last weekend.
For Vicky Watson, associate band director of the LEE High School Band, the show of support hits close to home.
Watson, who is a breast cancer survivor, hopes her message to students about getting checked and being proactive about their health will help them for years to come.
“I advocate to my students and everyone I know, that they should get their wellness checkups every year, and not skip it because had I skipped that year and waited, things could have been a little different,” Watson said.
Watson was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 when was band director at Krueger Middle School.
She had surgery to remove a tumor and went through chemotherapy, but that didn’t stop her from teaching.
“Every two weeks I went for chemotherapy,” Watson said. “So, every Friday, and then Monday, I was back at work and my kids were my biggest cheerleaders. They were there for me.”
Watson’s students continue to “keep her going.”
Now at LEE High School, a few of the students in Watson’s class remember what she went through when she was at Krueger.
“She was such an important figure in my life,” said Lauren Dehart, a LEE High School senior. “Still is now, but at that time, especially. And, so, it was really scary, but I got to see her really push through all of it and just dedicate herself to teaching and it was so amazing to see her be so strong.”
“Just seeing her, how she teaches us after everything that’s happened, like to her, it’s inspiring,” said Katherine Giblin, a student. “And, it shows us that we can get through anything if we try hard enough.”
Watson is now cancer-free. She just got the great news at her follow-up last week.
And, she is still doing what she loves, teaching.
You can see her passion for music and teaching when you walk into the LEE High School Band Hall.
Watson is also a role model to her students, where about half of the drumline is female.
“I loved playing drums,” Watson said. “So, it makes me happy to see girls not looking at it as only boys can do it, you know? And, I’m proud of all my kids, but of course, I mean, I’m female and they’re out there and they’re holding that drum and, you know, they don’t ever really complain. So, I like that about the drum line.”
And, watching her go through it all is Watson’s son, Russell Watson. He helps his mother out at LEE High School sometimes. He tells us he’s so proud of his mom.
“She is the best teacher that I know,” Russell Watson said. “She’s the best woman I know. So, she’s really inspiring. It’s good to see her getting to do what she loves and enjoy it every single day.”
