Virginia Eaton, professor of computer science and business communication, has had a life changing past few years.

But despite everything, she continues to take on everyday with a smile on her face.

It was about four years ago when her husband, Travis Eaton had a stroke. He lost the ability to use his left arm and uses a cane.

Eaton was dedicated to helping him continue to live his life.

Then on Nov. 16, Eaton discovered a lump in her breast. There was no question about it.

She immediately scheduled an appointment with her doctor who performed a mammogram and a needle biopsy on the same day.

Two weeks later, she received that devastating phone call. She had breast cancer.

Over the next few months, Eaton saw many doctors who recommended that she have a mastectomy. In the spring, she went through six rounds of chemotherapy and the following summer she had 35 radiation treatments.

Now she will have to take a drug called Arimidex for the next five years to block estrogen.

“Everything that’s possible to do, I’ve done,” said Eaton. “But I feel very positive that I will be around five or 10 years from now.”

The support she received from her family, friends and church reminded her how important it is to stay positive.

When she found out that she had cancer, she told everybody. She put it on Facebook and announced it to the College of Business.

“Because I wanted to build a prayer chain,” said Eaton. “I believe in the power of prayer so that’s what I did.”

Eaton belongs to First United Methodist of Monroe. The ladies from her Sunday school class would take her to chemotherapy treatments and did what they could to help her out.

“[We’re] the friendship class, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. We’re ancient,” Eaton said.

One of Eaton’s closest friends, Kimberly Taylor is a computer science instructor at ULM. Taylor was one of Eaton’s first students and the two have formed a mother-daughter relationship since.

Eaton’s youngest son who helps her manage Live Oaks Bar and Ballroom, and Taylor went to all of her doctor’s appointments in the beginning.

“One of the things you need when you hear frightening news like you have cancer, is somebody else there listening and helping you make decisions,” Eaton said.

“Virginia called me the day she found out,” said Taylor. “I was shocked, saddened, queasy, afraid and a little angry at cancer.”

Taylor immediately made one of Eaton’s favorite treats, peanut butter cornflake candy, and drove over to her house.

“We sat and cried and she probably comforted me more than I did her. I offered her whatever support she needed,” Taylor said.

After the second chemotherapy treatment, Eaton’s hair began to come out in handfuls. She decided it was best to get her hair cut.

Her grandson, who will be three in January, had a fascination with her hair coming out.

“I didn’t like wigs so I wore hats and scarves,” said Eaton. “If I took my hat off, he would always tell me to put it back on because he didn’t like to see me without hair.”

Now that Eaton’s hair is beginning to come back in, he couldn’t be happier.

“Pretty hair,” he would say as he patted her head.

Many people made hats for Eaton and others even cut their hair off for her. Eaton’s daughter-in-law, granddaughter and husband were among those who shaved their heads.

Eaton and her granddaughter plan to get tattoos together for her granddaughters 18th birthday. Eaton believes that she wants to get her tattoo over her mastectomy scar.

Eaton sought out others who also had cancer.

She met women on the Internet who were going through breast cancer at the same time. They formed a group on Facebook together called “The Bella Sisters.”

“We have shared our pictures and shared what were going through,” said Eaton. “So social media was one of the things that really helped me deal with my breast cancer.

On Sept. 28, Eaton colored her hair pink and walked in her very first Susan G Komen Race for the Cure.

The College of Business put together a team called Team Virginia Claire to honor Eaton and fellow breast cancer survivor and marketing professor Claire Stammerjohan.

With 47 people and two dogs, the team raised a little over $1500.

“During the spring semester when Virginia was having chemo, several students asked if there was anything they could do,” said Taylor. “Virginia said to wait and we would do something when she was cancer free.”

According to Taylor, they were the highest fundraising team in the school category.

“We put up a tent and then realized most people had decorated their tents,” said Taylor. “So Virginia, my daughter and I scrambled at the last minute to decorate our ‘nekkid tent’.”

They had “In Memory” and “In Honor” boards at the tent where Taylor wrote both of her grandmother’s names.

“Quite simply, [Eaton] is superwoman,” said Taylor. “Anytime anyone asked how she was doing she replied ‘great.’ Had she not lost her hair, I don’t think most people would have ever known she was ill.”