SIDNEY – Sidney teacher and Sidney High School graduate Julie Henman has been an active participant in the Shelby County Relay for Life through the years by participating in teams and team fundraisers, promoting the Links Against Cancer event, walking in the survivor lap, and even being a co-chair of the event. This year, she celebrated five years of being cancer free.
Henman was diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2017 and had a lumpectomy in February 2017 to remove the cancer. From there, she had to complete 30 days of radiation, weekly chemotherapy for six weeks, then once a month for a year.
She has been a Sidney teacher for 27 years, and she teaches third-grade English language arts and social studies at Northwood Elementary School. After being a member of the community for so long with a short time away to attend The Ohio State University to study education, her family received much-needed support after her diagnosis.
“I was very fortunate to have a lot of family, friends, and two school communities, Fairlawn and Sidney, provide support to me and my family during this difficult time. Without all of them, the fight would have been a lot harder,” Henman said.
She also emphasized the importance of community support and awareness during Relay events.
“Relay is important because it’s a way to show our community support in the fight against cancer,” Henman said. “My favorite part is everyone coming together and working to educate others about cancer and cancer prevention.”
Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2022, also dubbed “Twosday,” was celebrated around the world for being a palindrome, which means the numbers will read the same forward and backward. The teachers at Northwood marked the occasion by wearing tutus to school. This also happened to be Henman’s five-year check-up day, and she made the day a dual celebration by showing up to her appointment in a pink tutu and a shirt that read, “Best Twosday Ever 2-22-22.”
“My doctor was like, ‘you wore that in here?’” Henman said.
Henman offered this piece of advice for anyone who knows someone fighting cancer: “If you know someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, supporting them could be as small as a card, calling/texting to check in on them, mowing or making sure their weeds are pulled, snow removal, helping with their pets and children, a meal, running errands for them, and/or transportation to appointments. Any acts of kindness would be very appreciated!”
The Shelby County Relay for Life will be held on Friday, Aug. 5, at courtsquare in downtown Sidney from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. More information can be found on the website, https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR?pg=entry&fr_id=102167, or on the Facebook page, Relay For Life of Shelby County.
