Erin Spurgas could not fathom it. 

“In my mind, there was no way that three of us who graduated together from Montville High School in 1994 -- lifelong friends -- could all be diagnosed with pre-menopausal breast cancer,” the first-grade teacher said about her diagnosis. “So many things raced through my mind. I’m 48 years old. I’m healthy. I eat well. I take care of myself. How is this possible?” 

Spurgas is a Montville educator and married mother of two from Uncasville. Just two months before she was diagnosed, on June 1, 2024, her lifelong friend, Becky Fraser, passed away after a long battle with metastatic breast cancer.  

The day Erin received the call from her doctor, she was with family and friends enjoying a late August 2024 day by the pool. Among those friends was Laura, her other girlfriend since childhood, who herself was just finishing treatment for breast cancer; she’d been diagnosed about a year before that.

“When I answered the phone and heard his voice, my heart sank. I had been called back previously for a targeted ultrasound, but this was the first biopsy I’ve ever had. I remember looking at my mother, shaking my head, and saying, ‘There’s no way!’ I was in complete shock.”

A beloved and longtime teacher, she’s married to Dave Spurgas. The couple has two daughters, Brittany, 30, and Cameryn, 15. And, two Yorkshire Terriers, Diesel is 8 and Roxy the pup is just 5 months old. Erin, who enjoys pedicures and massages, loves the beach. Every April, the family takes a beach destination vacation. 

Community-oriented, she is on the board of Read to Ride, Inc. a non-profit that rewards children in a reading incentive program in Montville, Norwich, and New London.  Erin and her daughter Cameryn have organized and led various drives and collections for United Way of Southeastern, CT, which helps people in need. 

Her life was happy and full. 

“I was so thankful I wasn’t alone when I got this phone call. I was with one of my best friends who had just gone through a similar diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer. She knew exactly how this felt. I remember feeling completely numb and speechless, looking around at the shock on everyone’s face,” Erin recalled. “My 15-year-old daughter looked so scared. She had just watched my close friend, Becky, battle metastatic breast cancer for many years. Although my cancer diagnosis was much different than Becky’s, this was extremely scary news for my daughter to hear.”

She was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma.

A week before her physician called, she had a regularly scheduled mammogram and ultrasound. 

“I have very dense breasts, so I always have an ultrasound along with the mammogram. The day after, she was called to return for a targeted ultrasound, as the “radiologist was very concerned and said she wanted to biopsy this suspicious area.”

On the 14th, she had a biopsy performed. Two days later, at the pool with loved ones, the call came.

Just a few days later, she had a surgical consultation at Yale New Haven Hospital, then a breast MRI to “make sure there was no cancer that could have been overlooked in the mammogram and ultrasound.”

She underwent genetic testing and counseling. The results were negative; no clinically significant variants were detected.

A month after she received her diagnosis, she underwent a left breast lumpectomy. A sentinel lymph node was removed and biopsied. No cancer was found in the node, thankfully. 

“My surgeon, Dr. Rachel Greenup, was absolutely amazing. She was very empathetic and compassionate. She clearly explained my treatment options, and she provided emotional support to my family and me,” Erin shared. 

As to her treatment, after testing and consultation with her physicians, it was decided the negative side effects of chemotherapy would outweigh the benefits. 

“They decided that I wouldn’t have chemotherapy, with the understanding that I would need to take Tamoxifen for 5 to 7 years. My breast cancer was highly estrogen-driven,” she explained. 

Her radiation treatment was long and laborious, and though she developed an infection and experienced the “other typical side effects of radiation,” overall, she said, I tolerated the radiation pretty well.”

After 19 treatments, the final one was on New Year’s Eve last year: “What a great way to begin the New Year, being done with all of my treatment,” she shared.

Duality of emotions anxiety, fear, but also, strength, confidence

“I experienced a rollercoaster of emotions and feelings through this whole process. Initially, I experienced anxiety and fear when hearing about my cancer diagnosis. At the same time, I also felt a sense of strength and I felt confident that I would be able to get through this with the support of my family and friends. 

I learned through this process that it’s ok to not be ok. So many people would ask me how I was doing or how I was feeling and I would often say, “I feel fine” or “I’m doing well”. Many people would say, “Are you sure?”. Then I would stop and think and there were times I realized that I didn’t always need to say that I felt well. I began to feel more aware of how I was really feeling, realizing that I was going to have difficult days and that was all part of the treatment process. I needed to allow myself to cry, to feel exhausted, frustrated, fearful, etc. On some of my toughest days, I needed to remind myself how important a positive mindset is. I stayed active, I focused on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, both physically and mentally.” 

And then there was the guilt.

“Another challenge I faced was the guilt I felt at times having to take time off from work. I had surgery on Sept. 17, 2024. I took some time off after surgery, and I returned to work Oct. 30. Then I began radiation Dec. 4, and took a few weeks off during treatment. I returned to work on Dec. 19. Although I experienced some guilt about being out of work and not being there for my students, my oncology team explained the importance of taking care of myself and allowing my body to heal from surgery with minimal stress. I decided that taking this time off was necessary and an important part of my treatment plan. Looking back, I’m glad I took the time. My body certainly needed time to heal and to stay strong and healthy during my treatment.”

“I can’t imagine doing this without the support of family and friends.” 

Erin’s husband and teenage daughter stepped in to do the tasks she usually did -- grocery shopping, housework, cooking, taking care of our dogs, and more.

“But it was their daily hugs, encouragement, support, and love that helped me so much during some of my most difficult days at home,” she recalled. 

Her parents, Mark and Jill Johnson, “were there for me every single step of the way,” with daily check-ins, taking Cameryn to and from school, and cheer practice. 

“After my surgery, my parents gave me a ‘Sunshine Basket.’ I opened one gift a day for about 14 days. This was such an amazing idea and I looked forward to opening a gift each day,” she shared. “ I’m truly blessed to have such supportive parents who are so selfless and willing to do anything they can to be there for me and support me.” She also had the support of her brother, Craig Johnson, her daughter, Brittany, and other family members who traveled great distances to spend time with Erin during treatment.

Friends and neighbors were also there for Erin, including Debbie and Bill Caron who “checked in with me frequently to see how I was feeling and if I needed anything.” 

And then there was her “BFF’ group that she’s been friends with for over 30 years who supported her, especially on her most difficult days, with phone calls, check-ins, visits, meals and thoughtful gifts.

“I’m truly blessed to have lifelong friends that were right by my side through my cancer diagnosis and treatment,” she said.

Then there were her school colleagues, who formed a group and named themselves the ‘Sunshine Squad.’ They would regularly leave a gift on her doorstep or in her classroom. And when she returned to school, she was “taken aback” by all the love.

It was a sea of pink: staff wearing pink breast cancer ribbon pins, students all in pink and pink ribbon pins, her classroom decorated with pink balloons and flowers, and a table laden with thoughtful cards and gifts from colleagues, students, and their families. 

“I will never forget the unbelievable love and support I felt when I returned to work. The tears and the smiles on my students’ faces were priceless. The hugs from my first-graders and their adorable ways of expressing how much they missed me made me realize how lucky I am to have such a wonderful support system and so many people who love and care about me.” 

And then there’s Becky’s Besties

My friends and I formed a team for the Terri Brodeur Breast Cancer Foundation Walk for a Cure. Our team, Becky’s Besties, was formed in honor of Becky Fraser, who had been diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer in December 2021. 

The team walked in 2022 and raised $3,213. Becky’s Besties joined the TBBCF Walk for a Cure again in 2024 and raised $7,555. 

“Becky lived her life to the fullest every single day. She had such a positive attitude, and she loved her family and friends so much,” Erin said, adding her childhood friend “went home” last June after “a long and courageous battle with cancer.”

“Becky’s Besties were so lucky to have been blessed with countless memories of Becky throughout the years,” Erin said. “We will continue to honor Becky yearly by raising money and participating in the TBBCF Walk for a Cure.” Indeed, it’s also a family affair, as Erin’s out-of-state family members and friends traveled to Connecticut for the Walk last October.

Breast cancer changed the way she looks at the world and her life

“My breast cancer diagnosis has been a wake-up call for me and has prompted me to reevaluate my life, priorities and what’s most important to me. I’ve worked on being more conscious of slowing down and enjoying the moment, the little things that I may not have noticed or appreciated before. I’ve learned how important it is to take time for me,” Erin shared.

She’s also made lifestyle changes so she can be the healthiest version of herself, “to help avoid recurrence of cancer.”

“Some of the things I used to worry about were so minimal,” she said. “ In the grand scheme of things, I learned that every day is a gift. You never know what tomorrow will bring. I wake up every day with a much more positive mindset, letting go of things I can’t control, realizing I have so much to be thankful for and so many people who truly love and care about me.”

Erin sees herself as an endurer and warrior.

“I do look at myself as a fighter,” she said, “And I know I will be a survivor!”