A third-grade teacher who was diagnosed with breast cancer and continued working while undergoing 16 rounds of chemotherapy has spoken to Newsweek about the "shocking" circumstances that essentially left her working for free. In April 2025, Stephanie Villaronga was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast at the age of 29. Practically overnight, she went from a healthy mom and teacher to someone whose world revolved around medical appointments and cancer treatment.
"It felt like my entire life stopped in one conversation. At 29, cancer wasn't something I ever imagined I'd be dealing with," Villaronga, from New York City, said. As a third-grade special education teacher, Villaronga, now 30, worked through as much treatment as her body allowed.
For months, she scheduled treatment around work or left early for appointments, telling Newsweek that she "didn’t have the luxury of not working." New York City spreads teachers' earnings for the 10-month academic year across 12 months, allowing educators to continue receiving paychecks even when school is not in session. The summer payments are not additional wages but rather deferred earnings that have been accrued. As a result, extended leave can reduce the salary to be distributed over the summer if the employee has accrued fewer paid days during the contract year.
Despite being exhausted, nauseous and dealing with neuropathy, Villaronga continued showing up for work each morning. Eventually, the decision was taken out of Villaronga’s hands when she needed a double mastectomy in December 2025. She had worked throughout chemotherapy, but her body needed time to recover from surgery, so Villaronga took four months of medical leave.
During that time, she also received radiation treatment. "What surprised me most was how difficult it was to qualify for help. Many programs look at your previous year's income, but I was working when diagnosed.
That tax return doesn't reflect what my income looks like while I'm actively fighting cancer," Villaronga said. When she returned to work in April 2026, she was still in active treatment but felt well enough to return to the classroom. Having fought so hard to keep working during chemotherapy, and then returning as early as she could after surgery, Villaronga was horrified by the letter she received from her insurance company in May.
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