Adriana Lopez, a teacher at Public School 22 in Staten Island, received a heartwarming surprise from a chorus of students singing to her after she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

The choir usually sings an end of the year song, led by their director Gregg Breinberg. This year, however, in order to give back to Lopez because of her fighting spirit, they chose, “I’m gonna love you through it,” by country artist Martina McBride. In less than a minute, Lopez was in tears.

“Getting cancer does not make someone a hero. But inspiring others to hold on to hope while at his/her personal darkest hour does. This lady is a hero,” Breinberg wrote on his Facebook page.

As the students got close to the end, they sang one chorus a cappella as they held up pink carnations for their teacher. “When you’re weak, I’ll be strong,” the students sang.

Breast cancer is a serious disease that affects women across the United States. The American Cancer Society reports that about one in eight women in America will develop breast cancer during their lifetime. Approximately 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed per year. But thanks to early detection, death rates have been declining steadily since 1989.

“I want to thank you for this special moment. It was wonderful. It’s not easy, it’s not easy, but I will get through it because I have wonderful friends at this school,” Lopez said.