Mission Viejo Teacher Fighting Cancer, School District
MISSION VIEJO (CBSLA.com) — Mission Viejo kindergarten teacher Kristyn Fletcher is battling a rare, incurable cancer that started in her appendix.
Not only will this veteran educator never be able to return to the kids she loves, but Fletcher recently found out she may not be able to continue her medical treatment - because she says her insurance and other benefits provided by Saddleback Valley Unified School District are ending in 10 weeks.
"Trying to stay alive should not be this difficult," she said.
Fletcher, who's been in the classroom for 20 years, cannot afford to pay $2,000 each month for the COBRA insurance the district is offering.
"I look at my family. I know I'm not going to be here long for them. Of course that makes me sad. But I just think no other teacher should have to go through this," she said. "We've worked our whole lives dedicating our self to the children and the community and doing the best we can and helping others and now I'm in a time of need and the district turns their back on me."
If she was older, she says, she could be eligible to receive her full benefits under the district contract with teachers.
"If I had got sick when I was older, they're telling me my medical benefits would be there," she said.
A district spokesperson released the following statement to CBS2/KCAL9: "We are bound by contract language of the Collective Bargaining Unit that certificated staff members belong to and cannot unilaterally implement alternate retirement provisions."
Fletcher's supporters are raising money online for her treatments.
For information about how you can help the Fletcher family, visit their fundraising website here.