Chippenham and Johnston-Willis nurses build lifelong bond through breast cancer journey
When Jenifer Hughes, a dedicated cardiac care nurse at Chippenham Hospital, was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer last year, she braced herself for a difficult road ahead. But what she didn’t expect was to find a lifelong friend walking the same path.
At her very first chemotherapy appointment at Johnston-Willis Hospital, Jenifer met Alyssa Taylor, an oncology nurse who happened to be working that day. The two Powhatan residents quickly connected over their shared profession and similar outlooks on life. But just two months later, their connection deepened in an unimaginable way — Alyssa was also diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer.
What began as a chance meeting soon became a powerful sisterhood. “It’s a bond nobody wants, but that bond lasts — and that’s huge,” Jenifer said.
Throughout their parallel journeys, Jenifer and Alyssa became each other’s lifelines. They gave each other rides to treatment, brought lunch to one another during emergency visits, and even created “hydration games” to make the grueling process a little more bearable. They got to know each other’s families and leaned on one another during the darkest moments.
“I wouldn’t wish this on anyone,” Jenifer shared, “but it’s been so much more tolerable having someone who truly understands — someone who’s there when you don’t know what to say or how to get through the day.”
Together, they joined a breast cancer support group led by Robin Yoder at The Hawthorne Cancer Center, part of the Sarah Cannon Cancer Institute at Johnston-Willis. As the only members in active treatment, they formed a tight-knit circle within the group — often meeting for Mexican food and margaritas before sessions to decompress and share laughs.
Their bond extended beyond support groups and hospital walls. When Jenifer was nominated for a day on the water through Sailing Beyond Cancer, she brought Alyssa, another friend in treatment, and three fellow survivor colleagues from Chippenham Hospital — turning the experience into a celebration of strength and solidarity.
In July, Jenifer completed immunotherapy and was declared cancer-free. Alyssa followed in September, ringing the bell to mark the end of her treatment. “It was an amazing feeling,” Alyssa said. “It really hasn’t fully sunk in yet.”
Their story is a powerful reminder of the strength found in community and the unexpected beauty that can emerge from life’s most difficult trials.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting the second most common cancer among women in the United States, according to the CDC. 1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
Early detection remains critical: when caught early, breast cancer has a 99% five-year survival rate. Thanks to advances in treatment and support, more than 4 million breast cancer survivors are living in the U.S. today.
For Jenifer and Alyssa, survivorship means more than just being cancer-free — it means carrying forward a friendship forged in resilience, compassion and hope.