Family calls on community to help retired teacher in cancer fight

The biggest hugs, the sweetest smile, the coziest and most welcoming classroom.

Jan Whitcomb always made her students feel loved, even as she raised four of her own children at home. A 1985 Coeur d'Alene High School graduate, Whitcomb taught in the Coeur d'Alene School District for more than 20 years. She spent many of those years at Borah Elementary School.

"She’s worked so hard on giving back to the community and to the kids and the underprivileged school that Borah was," her daughter-in-law, Sabrina, said Wednesday.

Jan's teaching career was cut short when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis at the age of 29. Despite the challenges, she continued to find ways to contribute her time and talents to local kids.

"She volunteered at Fernan and Borah, just doing what she could even though she was hurting," Sabrina said.

Jan was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer in October 2023, then doctors discovered she had ovarian cancer in January of this year. She was actively undergoing chemotherapy until she suffered a severe infection and was admitted to the intensive care unit on Father's Day.

"It was so serious that she and her family prepared to say goodbye," the family shared on spotfund.com under "Jan's Recovery Journey."

"But Jan is a fighter," the post reads. "With the grace of God and the love and support of her family and care team, she pulled through."

Jan was moved to a care facility July 1, but was soon back in the ICU with another infection July 4.

"By another miracle, Jan recovered again and is now strong enough to return to rehab as of today," the family said.

Sabrina said Jan will be spending the next four to eight weeks in a local skilled nursing center.

With the medical bills piling up, loved ones are asking for help on behalf of the mother and nana who is the heart of their family.

"She never complains about herself," Sabrina said. "She never complains about the pain she’s in. You have to pry it out of her; she's all about making sure everybody else is taken care of and that all of her grandbabies are given as much love as can possibly be given."

As of right now, Sabrina said, insurance is a fickle thing. For Jan to stay in the current facility, "within two weeks we have to start paying out of pocket." Insurance will pay for 20 days, then the family will be expected to pay for days 21-50. It's also not guaranteed insurance will cover days 50-100.

"With her being retired, she only gets her Social Security and her retirement. That’s all she has for income," Sabrina said. "She's got enough to pay her bills and get some groceries and that’s pretty much it.”

The spotfund.com campaign has a goal of $25,000, nearly $17,000 of which had been raised by Thursday afternoon.

"Anything helps," Sabrina said. 

Comments on the funding website give insight to how Jan has touched so many lives — through her family, her teaching career and her deep faith.

"Jan, you are a gift from God," an anonymous donor posted. "I love your smile but most of all your heart. Love you."

Former colleague Jan Work posted that she worked with Jan at Borah.

"She’s got the biggest, most giving heart and always has a smile on her face," Work wrote. "Best wishes for an amazing recovery my friend."

As well as her career accomplishments, Jan Whitcomb is also an advocate for accessibility. She fought for handicap-accessible swimming access to the Spokane River, and in 2015 she completed the 2.4-mile Coeur d'Alene Crossing across Lake Coeur d'Alene, arriving by boat in her wheelchair.

"I have MS and my legs don't work," she said in the Aug. 17, 2015, article. "But I still swim, it's my one thing I can still do." 

"She’s just such a special woman," Sabrina said. "Despite all the pain she has physically in her body, she pushes through to be able to go and support everyone else in her life. She has three grandchildren with hopefully more on the way ... There's so much more she has left to do."

Visit spotfund.com for details and to donate.