‘Support Squad’ lifts up breast cancer warrior

Michelle Carter, a teacher at First Baptist Church preschool who is battling breast cancer, was surprised Monday morning by her “support squad” of 130 students.

An assembly of whispering preschoolers were shushed as they waited to surprise Carter. Each child’s gray and pink T-shirt proudly proclaimed “support squad.” Cellphones and cameras were at the ready for Carter to enter the room and be surprised.

Her arrival was announced with claps, smiles and hugs from the audience.

A parent of one of Carter’s students, Ashley Robertson said, “Ms. Michelle is fighting a battle, but she is not fighting it alone. Your God is with you.”

Robertson said, “The Lord put it in my heart, we are Ms. Michelle’s supporters.”

She reminded the supporters and as well as Carter, “You are strong,” continuing the description with words like special, tough, amazing, brave, “but most of all you are a fighter.”

“No one fights alone,” Robertson said, as she welcomed Carter, who was battling tears, to the front to receive a proclamation presented by Poplar Bluff Mayor Steve Davis.

In his remarks, Davis stated October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. He said, in her battle with stage three cancer, Carter has fought with grace, bravery and dignity.

Carter admitted she hadn’t a clue about the surprise, but responded with, “I could not do it without our Lord and Savior.”

Carter looked around before saying, “This is my support system. This is the best place for me to heal.”

When she’s down, Carter explained, God sends a student to touch her.

“It’s like they know. They know something’s not right, but they also know just when I need those special little hugs, and I’ve been blessed with amazing parents this year, and as every year, but I just feel extra special this year,” Carter said. “The families have really taken extra care of me and the staff here (with an)outpouring of care, as well as my family. Even though this isn’t my home church, I feel like it’s my second church home.”

She and her husband, Bobbie, are members of Pilgrims Rest Church in Fairdealing, where she’s lived her whole life.

Carter taught preschool in the Poplar Bluff school system for nine years and this is her second year at First Baptist.

When her time in the Poplar Bluff district came to an end, “I started a new season here, and it’s been what I needed. God knew everything in life has a season.”

Carter detected a lump in May and had a mammogram and biopsy June 14. She was diagnosed with stage three triple-negative breast cancer. She underwent a radical double mastectomy that included removal of several lymph nodes July 20. When surgery on the tumors in her chest wall was a risk factor, she decided on specialized treatments. She began chemotherapy Aug. 27.

The support squad shirts were paid for by the Daily American Republic newspaper and Mossy Oak Properties Mozark Realty.