Community Corner

Eighth-Grader 'Humbled' by Turnout to Support Oswego Teacher Battling Breast Cancer

Kylie Schimmel raised money for Fox Chase Elementary teacher through sales of her bow shop Kylie's Creations.

When eighth-grader Kylie Schimmel found out her brother’s fourth-grade teacher had breast cancer, she knew she wanted to do something to help.

The Thompson student had a chance to do so at the Mothers and More Resale Sale earlier this month. She sold hair bows through her business, Kylie’s Creations, with part of the proceeds going to Fox Chase Elementary teacher Amber Piechowski.

Kylie said she sold 89 bows, the largest amount from any sale she has ever done, and was able to donate $165 to Piechowski.

Find out what's happening in Oswegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“I had so many people come by to support her,” said Schimmel. “I hadn’t been expecting to get that much. I was very humbled by the turnout.”

Amber Piechowski was just as surprised and said she had not even known that Kylie had been planning anything like this.

Find out what's happening in Oswegowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Piechowski said she first learned of the event when a fellow teacher sent her a link to the article about Kylie's fundraiser. 

“After I read it I just started crying,” Piechowski recalled. “I was so, so touched.”

Interestingly enough, Piechowski said she didn't know Kylie all that well prior to the event.

She had Kylie's brother, Conner, in her fourth-grade class, and had seen the eighth-grader around Fox Chase, as Kylie's mother, Alicia, ran a daycare for some of the teachers at the school.

“I was so surprised. I wouldn’t have expected something like this from someone I did know, let alone someone I didn’t really know.”

Piechowski, in her twelth year of teaching in Oswego, said she has been “blessed” to work in such a kind and caring community.

“The support, not ony from Kylie but from all the teachers and staff and parents and students has been beyond wonderful," she said.

Piechowski is planning to return to teaching Oct. 29 and will begin chemo on Nov. 7.

“I’m going to take it one step at a time and try to work through the chemo. I want to be back," she said. 

Piechowski is about 3 weeks post surgery where she underwent a double mastectomy for her stage 2 breast cancer. After her six rounds of chemo are finished she will undergo reconstruction surgery and for now has tissue expanders.

Kylie Schimmel has already started on her next fundraising project, this time with a bow for Autism research. For more information or to donate, visit her Kylie’s Creations Facebook page. Kylie's bows also are now availabe at Savvy Fashions and More in Mason Square. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here