Irma Reza

My mom worked at Canutillo Elementary School as a proud elementary school teacher for 19 years before retiring a couple of years ago. She worked teaching kinder up to first grade. Her kids were everything to her, and she believed whole heartedly in the dual-language program and the benefits it afforded her students. She loved working with her partner, Ms. Romero, and working in other programs around the school with the staff and fellow teachers. She was nominated for Teacher of the Year, and earned the title for the district at one point.
Following retirement, we had dreams of traveling together to Europe and other adventures, something my father was never kean to do. I travel quite extensively for my own work and was looking foward to having my mom join me. Unfortunately, it was cut short last spring.
In July 2017, after struggling with vomiting and losing her appetite last April, followed by many tests, scans, and blood draws, she was diagnosed with stage 4, peratineal cancer. Several months later it was reevaluated and presented as stomach cancer. Following her first round of chemo that included 6 infusions, and scans at MD Anderson in Houston (one of the top cancer centers in the country), her medical team were positive. There were a few spots but the prognosis looked promising. She came home just before Christmas as we celebrated and thanked the Lord for this amazing blessing. However, only a couple of weeks later, things took a turn for the worse. 
We began a new chemo to rid her body of those few spots, but it completely knocked her off her feet. She lost close to 20 pounds and was in a lot of pain and discomfort. The chemo was haulted as we did more scans and reevaluated the situation. News came back soon after the cancer had spread, now presenting with a tumor, and the news that there was no cure. 
We began yet another new chemo on Monday, Feb 26, but 4 days later we are back in the hospital because of complications. There is nothing more they can do so we are now moving to hospice.
 Throughout her illness, and the suffering she has had to endure, she has been so courageous, and her faith has held strong. She has never been afraid and if you know my mom, its no surprise she has been more worried about everyone around her, before herself. 
My mom is my strength, my rolemodel, my inspiration. She left a career she was comfortable with to become a teacher in her late 30s. She has been my sole supporter as I have pursuied a very difficult journalism career in professional sports - one that the rest of my family did not support. But that's my mom, she believes in you before you believe in yourself. 
We have been blessed to have the love and support from a lot of family and friends, both near and far. More importantly the support and outreach that have come from her many friends in Canutillo. 
A group of her fellow teachers at Canutillo Elementary reached out and asked us to post this gofundme page. While my parents had saved, the financial burden is always there. When I told her about this page, my mom said how honored she is, and how touched that her fellow teachers would want to do something like this for her. 
Our faith and trust lies with God. While we know this is His plan for her, we still need her here with us. As she told me last week upon hearing the final diagnoses, "I will always be here supporting you and cheering you on, whether its here physically or spiritually, I will never leave your side."

I love you more, mom.

Sincere thanks and a multitude of gratitude to everyone who has called, sent texts, and messages. The outpouring of love has been received and we are so blessed to know how many people my mom has touched. We ask for your prayers that she may have a peaceful passing.

God bless each and every one of you. <3