Diagnosed at 40: Why I Refused to Let Breast Cancer Define Me

Photos courtesy of Juel Copeland Juel Copeland’s journey to becoming an esteemed educator and Dean is deeply rooted in her unique personal experiences and unwavering determination. As someone who grew up in a military family, Copeland’s early life was marked by constant relocations and the challenges of adapting to new environments. Despite a turbulent home life, she always found solace in the stability and support of her school.  “School is always where I felt at home, I come from a military background, my mother, my father and my stepfather all served and we moved around a lot,” Copeland shares.  This formative experience inspired her to pursue a career in education, driven by the desire to provide the same safe haven for her students that she once found in her teachers. Starting as a teacher, she found immense joy and fulfillment in guiding and nurturing her students, which only extended further with the birth of her children, who she credits for further deepening her understanding and empathy. When her husband retired from the Navy, Copeland’s family settled in the community where she had been teaching for over a decade. However, her two youngest sons faced severe discrimination at school, which led...