Nydia Delgado

My Grandma Nydia (My Own Personal Picture)

My Hero is Nydia Delgado. She is a breast cancer survivor and also my grandma. Her life story is very inspiring. Her battle with cancer is fascinating and her loyalty to her children and grandchildren is wonderful!

When my Grandma was 13 years old, her mother died of breast cancer. Her father worked full time to provide for the family. Meanwhile my grandma was doing the cooking, the cleaning, and the babysitting. She had one older brother, one older sister, one younger brother and one younger sister. She did this all while focusing on school work. I am sure her father expected a lot from her. She basically was the woman of the house. As she became an adult she had two children, my mom Nymarie and my uncle Ron. Nydia moved to the United States to the state of Pennsylvania in September of 1980 from Puerto Rico. She came as a single mom with her children and got a full time job.

Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon (Hero Workshop)

A while ago, my grandma Nydia went back to school and got her master's degree. She got her degree at the age of 55. She couldn't get her degree when she moved here because she had to support her children. She is a teacher now in Stroudsberg PA for the grade of kindergarten. She works in the Allentown School District. Over the past year of 2008 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She was diagnosed on May 8 2008.

Nydia drove herself to all her treatments and surgeries. Nydia was always by herself on holidays with maybe the company of one friend. It was a really sad and hard time for our whole family.

During this time my grandma always kept in touch with me. She would usually keep contact with me by email or phone calls and sending packages or cute little cards. My grandma usually sends me books. It means a lot to me when she calls on Christmas or on our birthdays. Our family tries to visit as much as we can but it isn't easy.

My grandma has always cared about my education. She sends me books all the time and gives me advice on homework or projects. I can talk to her for anything. She always asks if I need things and if I don't she still sends me them. These things that she does for me are really special and important.

My Grandma is my hero because her life story is really inspiring. I admire her so very much because of her independence and loyalty of being a grandma to me. Her struggles with breast cancer were very sad and I look up to her for sticking it out the whole time mostly by herself. I can't imagine having cancer and going through it by myself. She is a very important person in my life and I am very grateful that she is my grandma!