Co-workers celebrate with cancer survivor

“I felt super special,” says Maria Murillo, a records management officer.

On the third anniversary of her cancer surgery, Maria Murillo showed up for work at UIC’s Office of Registration and Records wearing her breast-cancer-awareness T-shirt.

To her delight, her co-workers were wearing them, too. “Surprise!” they shouted.

Then there was cake.

“I felt super special,” said Murillo, a records management officer and 27-year employee.  “It was amazing. I was overwhelmed.”

The T-shirts were white with pink lettering or pink with white lettering. One said, “Keep calm and stay strong,” the other “Tough enough to wear pink.” All bore the familiar pink ribbon denoting breast cancer awareness.

“Even the guys wore them,” Murillo said.

Tonya Jefferson, the colleague who organized the April 9 surprise party, said, “Breast cancer is a beast, and she is our beast slayer.”

Maria Murillo’s co-workers threw a surprise party on the third anniversary of her cancer surgery.