THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 4, 1996 TAG: 9609040406
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY VANEE VINES, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 85 lines
For Woodrow Wilson High students taking biology with Joe Ladisic this school year, class kicked off Tuesday with a grim account of his own biological nightmare over the past eight months.
He spared few details, telling students how doctors had to close his chest with staples after surgeries; how they removed a baseball-sized tumor from his colon in April; how they told him he wouldn't live beyond next January.
Ladisic, a 35-year-old bachelor, was diagnosed with colon cancer this spring - news of which led Wilson students, some school district staffers and even parents to sponsor events ranging from a fish fry to a raffle to raise money to help him with medical bills.
After being away for most of last semester, he returned Tuesday - anxious to share his story with the hope that it would inspire students to persevere through school and other challenges.
``Hopefully, by kids seeing my situation and how I refuse to give up, they will get that attitude, too,'' said Ladisic, Wilson's varsity baseball coach and also its former head football coach.
His first-period students applauded after he explained his months-long battle.
The battle itself began in late January; eventually took a turn for the worse when the cancer spread to his lymph nodes; led him through months of ongoing chemotherapy; and took a turn for the better about a month ago, when medical tests didn't reveal any cancer-infected cells.
For now.
He has regained the 40 pounds he lost earlier this year. And he likes to point out that he still has his hair.
On Tuesday, the 12-year district veteran, touched by the community's response, said he couldn't stand to be away any longer.
``This is my life. This is what I enjoy doing. It's putting all the cancer behind me. It's coming back and getting into my normal routine,'' he said.
``I'm not going to let this bother me. I don't feel like I'm on the road to dying. I feel like I beat this thing. It's time to go back to what I do. And what I do is teach kids.''
During his first-period class, Sacha Warren, a 16-year-old junior, told Ladisic he just had to stay well.
``You can't leave us this year like you did last year,'' said Warren, who later told a visitor that she had missed Ladisic, one of her favorite teachers.
``I'm not going anywhere,'' he responded.
Earlier this year, students were visiting him so frequently at Portsmouth's Maryview Medical Center that the school's former principal asked them to cease so he could heal in peace and quiet.
It was no different on the first day of classes: Former students and those who got to know him on playing fields trickled in and out of Room 219 to say hi.
Minutes after second period began, Stephon Ridley, 18, sauntered into the class, saying polite ``hellos'' to baffled students watching him as he made his way to the front of the room.
He shook Ladisic's hand, gave him a hug and welcomed him back. Then he split.
``I hadn't seen him in a long time,'' Ridley, a varsity football player last year, said later. ``I'm just happy to see him because he's just a nice person, and if I'm having a problem, I can go to him. Or if I need help with my work, he'll find somebody to help me.''
Students haven't been the only ones interested in helping him.
After several colleagues learned that his sick leave and disability benefits were due to run out at the end of last May, they wanted to donate some of their sick days so he could stay out for the rest of the school year.
Without additional benefits, Ladisic would have been forced to go without pay and medical and life insurance benefits - unless he went back to work.
At that time, the district didn't have a formal policy allowing sick leave to be shared.
But it didn't take long before neighborhood activists and others made sure the School Board got wind of the situation.
At its May meeting, the board directed the administration to create such a policy, which it did in time for Ladisic to take advantage of it.
``He's just got a good rapport with kids and everybody he works with,'' said Melvin Ferguson, a special police officer at Hunt-Mapp Middle School and one of Ladisic's good friends.
``I've known Joe for 12 or 13 years. I think he's determined to beat this thing . . . and it's working.'' ILLUSTRATION: Wilson High School biology teacher Joe Ladisic shares
his battle with colon cancer with a class Tuesday. He said he hopes
his eight-month ordeal will teach his students what he learned - to
refuse to give up.
Photo by MARK MITCHELL, The Virginian-Pilot by CNB