LOWELL — With the 27th TeamWalk for Cancer Care coming up on Sunday, a Lowell General Hospital nurse is making sure she and her two children will be there, to help pay back all the support she got when dealing with her own cancer battle.
Jacqueline DiFelice was 48 years old in February 2025 when she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer.
“It’s such a devastating diagnosis, and of course you always think the worst, but I just had such great support from family and friends and from Lowell General Hospital.”
She said her first thought was to be treated in Boston because of the renowned level of care there, rather than to get care close to home even though she worked at Lowell General Hospital as a cancer nurse, “But I was so glad that I did because I got such good care.”
She said initially it felt strange getting treatment at the LGH Cancer Center since she is an employee there. However, she quickly said, “There was no way I couldn’t get my treatment there. Everyone has been incredibly supportive.”
DiFelice had begun working as an oncology infusion nurse at the Lowell General Hospital Cancer Center in September 2023. She had moved to radiation oncology at the time of her diagnosis.
DiFelice, who lives in Londonderry, N.H., with her two young children, Addison and Christian DiFelice, had a normal mammogram the year before her diagnosis. Shortly after her diagnosis, she had surgery at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
Her treatment for the aggressive form of breast cancer involved chemo and immunotherapy for the first six months before transitioning to radiation and continued immunotherapy for an additional six months. She recently completed her treatments.
“I feel like I was always a good nurse and have tried to treat patients how I would want to be treated, but going through what I went through in the place where I work gave me an even greater appreciation,” said DiFelice. “I think it made me more understanding. Cancer changes you as a person.”
She said the triple-negative breast cancer diagnosis “is one of the worst diagnoses you can get.” Explaining that while other types of breast cancer can be treated with hormone therapy, it was not so for hers, and she had to go through chemotherapy to shrink the tumor, surgery, immunotherapy and radiology.
DiFelice advises other women to get their mammograms. She said she went every year because her mother had breast cancer as well, so there was a history of it in her family, but she still feels lucky that she discovered the cancer in its early stages.
“Just be more aware, with self breast exams, talking to their doctors if they have a history,” is the way to go, she said.
“It can happen so fast. For me, it wasn’t there in December (when she had her last mammogram), but it was there in February (when she did a self-exam). I’m lucky I found out.”
In addition to the physical and emotional support she received from everyone at the Cancer Center, she is very appreciative of the financial support she received, which was made possible by TeamWalk funds. “The week I was diagnosed my hot water heater stopped working and TeamWalk paid off the balance due at a time when I was unable to work.” She’s now back to working at the Cancer Center full time.
“I want to help spread awareness,” said DiFelice, adding that she plans to go to the walk on Sunday with Addison and Christian. “Because they were very well aware of how much support I got from my colleagues. We raised over $3,000 and we want to give back to the people who helped us during a very challenging year.”
“A lot of the community, they’re very generous and helping with funding. … The stress release that that help gives to so many cancer patients is amazing.” She said there numerous stressors, between fears for your health, as well as financial and emotional worries. “Just, when things happen in life unexpectedly, when you’re not working, just to know that help is available is wonderful.”
She said she received assistance handling many different financial burdens, from transportation, utilities, co-pays and wigs.
And a big one was a trip for her and her children, which she received through a Make a Memory grant arranged by TeamWalk, which paid for a special trip to Great Wolf Lodge in North Carolina.
“My youngest had a tough time of it,” she said, and the trip was helpful to get their minds off it and help support their mission to carry on.
Since its inception, TeamWalk has raised over $16 million to help more than 44,000 patients. TeamWalk funds make a difference in the lives of cancer patients by paying for medications, nutritional supplements, wigs and prostheses, support groups, skilled nursing visits, transportation, mini-grants and supportive services.
Funds raised enable Lowell General Hospital to provide assistance, support and services to help people feel better, build confidence, and instill hope throughout their battle with cancer.
The 27th annual TeamWalk for Cancer Care will take place at the Tsongas Center in Lowell on Sunday, May 3. There will be free parking at the Ayotte Garage adjacent to the Tsongas Center, 300 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, on UMass Lowell’s east campus.
The day will start off at 8 a.m. with registration, donation drop-offs, incentive pick-ups and free team photos; at 9:30 a.m. will be the opening ceremonies; at 9:45 a.m., the three-mile walk begins; from 10:30 a.m. to noon, the refreshment tent will be open; and at 11:30 a.m. the closing ceremonies will be held.
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