Dade County Educator Gains Community Support For Her Fight With Cancer

UPDATE: Since this story aired Tuesday night, Sandy Bradley has died.

Friends tell us she passed away early Wednesday morning.

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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- A Dade County woman, who has been an educator for 26 years, is fighting for her life.

Sandy Bradley has late stage liver and colon cancer, and doctors says she has only days to live.

Sandy Bradley is a graduation coach who has impacted hundreds of students.

Graduation rates rose 25- percent under her leadership.

She even inspired several of those students to become educators themselves.

It started back in March, when Bradley thought she had the flu, but instead it was advanced cancer of the liver and colon.

She confided in friends and family.

“She’s the kind of teacher who makes you realize why you came into this vocation,” said Darlene Rogers who is the Dade Elementary Coach.

Bradley then, took to social media, where she documented her progress.

Response was so great, her Facebook page stopped working.

“That shows you what a special person she was…”

Dade County High School Principal Josh Ingle says Bradley’s spirit is contagious.

“She doesn’t just work with struggling kids, she’ll work with any child. Whether it’s sitting down with a child filling out scholarship papers,” said Josh Ingle who is the Dade County High School Principal.

Colleague and good friend, Darlene Rogers, says Bradley goes above and beyond to help struggling students graduate.

“She had a ceremony. She borrowed caps and gowns from all of her friends who have had children they’ve graduated and she those students put on the cap and gown. She had them participate in a really special ceremony, so they could have that visual.”

Cancer may be hurting Bradley physically, but not emotionally.

Despite the disease, Rogers says Bradley is still making a positive difference in students’ lives.

“When she got the news that her cancer had taken over, she told her Oncologist, I have no regrets that I live my life to the fullest. I did everything I wanted to do. I’ve accomplished what I’ve wanted to accomplish and I don’t have any regrets,” Darlene Rogers.

Loved ones set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for medical expenses.