Students at Middletown High School recently reached out to classmate Heidi Baker, an MHS sophomore who is fighting brain cancer, by signing a huge poster with inspirational and meaningful messages.
Baker’s family organized the poster to be placed in the MHS cafeteria for students and staff members to sign. “I think it’s more where everybody was expressing their thoughts,” said Stacey MacMillan, a special education teacher at MHS.
Baker has been being treated at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore for brain cancer. She recently returned home where she is receiving continuing care.
“Her family created the sign while Heidi was at Johns Hopkins. When she came home, her family wanted something for her to remember the students at MHS by,” said MacMillan.
While Baker was at Johns Hopkins Hospital, a close family friend, Alyssa Lookingbill, wrote a speech to be presented at school lunch shifts. As she presented the speech, she encouraged students to take a little time to write a message to Baker.
“Heidi said that she would like everyone to sign the board because she was having a hard time, and she missed everyone,” said Lookingbill, an MHS freshman.
Lookingbill also said that she has been a family friend of Baker since sixth grade.
In just one day, the poster was covered with the signatures and words of dozens of students and staff.
“The family just brought the board in for a day because they thought Heidi would be home the next day,” MacMillan said.
Once Baker finally returned home, a “Welcome Home Gala” was held at the Myersville Fire Hall.
At the gala, friends and family came to see Baker and wish her well. The poster was also present for more people to sign messages.
“People mostly want to see her spirits lifted up to where she feels good enough to come back to school and to be surrounded by her friends once again,” MacMillan said.
