Stephanie Villaronga, a New York City third-grade special education teacher, was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma at 29 and completed 16 rounds of chemotherapy while continuing to teach. After a double mastectomy and four months of medical leave that included radiation, she returned to work in April 2026 but faced insurance clawbacks and payroll rules that nearly erased her summer pay. Villaronga says the deductions left her with under 20% of a typical paycheck and exposed gaps in financial support for people receiving life‑saving treatment. She has documented her experience on TikTok, started a GoFundMe, and is urging reforms to make assistance available when people are actively ill.
NYC Teacher Battled Cancer While Working — Returned To Class Only To Lose Most Of Her Pay After Insurance Clawbacks
From left: Stephanie Villaronga celebrates during chemotherapy.
Stephanie Villaronga, a third-grade special education teacher in New York City, was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma in April 2025 at age 29. She completed 16 rounds of chemotherapy while continuing to teach as long as her health allowed, then underwent a double mastectomy in December 2025 and took four months of medical leave that included radiation.
Villaronga says she arranged treatments around the school day because she "didn't have the luxury of not working," but when she returned to the classroom in April 2026 while still in active treatment she was shocked by letters from her insurer and payroll office.
How Pay And Deductions Cut Her Summer Pay
New York City spreads teachers' 10-month salaries across 12 months, so summer checks are deferred pay accrued during the contract year. Because Villaronga missed contract days while on medical leave, her summer distribution was reduced — and an insurer later classified some payments as an "overpayment," demanding reimbursement.
From left: Stephanie Villaronga sits on the floor with her partner and son; and picks up her child.
"The letter explained that I was responsible for paying back costs related to my coverage, as well as what they classified as an overpayment from the period I was on medical leave—half of my paycheck, even though I was not receiving my regular salary," Villaronga told Newsweek.
She says the result left her with less than 20% of a normal paycheck when she returned and effectively eliminated her summer pay while treatment was still ongoing. The financial strain forced her family to make difficult adjustments; Villaronga has documented her experience on social media (@itstefunny on TikTok) and launched a GoFundMe to help cover expenses.
Difficulty Qualifying For Relief
Villaronga also described challenges qualifying for assistance: many programs use the prior year's tax return to assess need, which often doesn't reflect an income drop happening in the current year while someone is actively undergoing treatment. She contrasted this with the smoother financial protections she received during maternity leave.
What She Wants To Change
Villaronga is calling for policy fixes so financial assistance is available when people actually need it — not only visible in later tax forms. "Surviving cancer shouldn't leave someone spending years trying to financially survive," she said. She urged others facing cancer to ask for help and lean on support networks, noting the toll is physical, mental, emotional and financial.
Newsweek has contacted the New York City Department of Education and the United Federation of Teachers for comment and is awaiting responses.
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