Maria Marin lost her hair during chemotherapy treatment in the spring of 2013.

Marin is an instructor in the English as a Second Language Department at De Anza College.

She kept teaching while she had radiation treatment for breast cancer in fall 2013.

Marin’s doctor confirmed she had breast cancer at the end of February 2013.

“The moment I heard, I hurt, but I was prepared,” she said. “I tried to think positive and realistic.”

Marin had eight sessions of chemotherapy at two hours each.

She went to her chemotherapy treatments once every two weeks.

“I was definitely sacred after the first chemo,” Marin said. “I just laid in bed.”

She felt better after she rested at home for two weeks.

But then she realized she had to go to the hospital in two weeks and do it all over again.

During the process of chemotherapy, Marin said she was tired and had no energy. She also lost her appetite.

“Your taste buds go away and you cannot eat anything that is raw,” she said.

She also lost her hair. Marin laughed and pointed to her head.

Underneath a denim hat, her hair was a few inches long.

Marin came back to De Anza College to teach in September 2013 after she finished  chemotherapy.

She taught two English classes in the fall quarter during her radiation treatment.

“I knew her since 2002,” said Michele Dubarry, ESL and linguistics faculty. “She is a valued colleague. I am more than happy that she is well and has returned.”

Marin had a two-hour class on Monday and Wednesday afternoons and a Tuesday night class during her radiation treatment.

She continued to work full time even though the treatment was hard on her.

“Sometimes, after class, I went straight home,” she said. “I went to bed. I was tired, but I enjoyed it so much.”

In addition to the time she spent on campus, Marin corrected   papers on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at home.

“My dad watches TV and I correct papers,” she said.

Hours of correcting and fixing papers were not a burden for Marin.

“I am with the people I love,” she said. “I love to see the progress of my students. In correcting papers, I see that.”

Maclan Nguyen, one of Marin’s ESL students said, “In 12 weeks studying in her class, I could feel how strong she was and how she faced her cancer. I was happy that finally she could get over it.”

Marin finished radiation in the fall quarter of 2013 and will continue teaching English in the spring.

She still feels tired teaching this quarter.

“It is part of the side effects of chemotherapy,” Marin said.

But she is happy her hair is growing out.