The last few months have hit Yvette Sutten like a "freight train."

Sutten, a Lehman High School teacher, was diagnosed with breast cancer in July and began chemotherapy treatment in September, but returning from medical leave revitalized her, she said.

"There's just so much life (at Lehman)," Sutten said. "I needed to feel life."

The medical and health sciences teacher said she was "humbled" by the support students displayed Oct. 18.

More than 125 heads were shaved during a daylong shave-a-thon in support of breast cancer awareness.

Among them was senior Brenda Reyes, from whom two full donations to Locks of Love were harvested.

Sutten, who taught Reyes during her sophomore year, has been an inspiration, said the student, whose hair previously fell to her mid-back.

Organizers said less than 40 people signed up for the shave-a-thon before the event got underway, none of whom were girls.

All of a sudden, one girl shaving her head snowballed into 20.

"I'm really happy," Reyes said. "It's incredible that so many people would do that."

Sarah Singer, who organized the effort, said proceeds will help pay for mammograms.

About $1,400 has been raised through sales of t-shirts, adorned with the infinity symbol and the word "hope" underneath, Singer said.

"People I didn't even know were buying them," including Lehman alumni currently studying in College Station, she said.

Matthew Deleon, a senior, signed up for the shave-a-thon because his grandma had breast cancer.

"It's just all of us coming together," Deleon said. "No matter who you are or what you do, we're just all together as one for a good cause helping out."