Best friends and fellow nurses beat breast cancer side-by-side

CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — There are over 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States, and among that number are two local nurses from Powhatan whose powerful friendship was forged in the halls of a hospital -- and tested by shared diagnoses.

This National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, 8News shares the story of Jenifer Hughes, a cardiac ICU nurse, and Alyssa Taylor, an oncology infusion nurse, who supported each other through their deepest challenges.

Taylor and Hughes' relationship began under unusual circumstances.

Pictured: Alyssa Taylor (left) and Jenifer Hughes (right), Photo credit: Madison Moore, 8News

"I am an oncology infusion nurse, which means I give chemotherapy," Taylor explained. "Jennifer was my patient."

Jenifer, a cardiac ICU nurse herself, remembers that first meeting well. The bond was instant.

"The first ten minutes after meeting Jennifer, and I was like, 'We are going to be best friends if we had met someplace other than here,'” Taylor said, adding with a laugh, "Then I had to get cancer and here we are."

According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among women in the United States, and the second leading cause of death from cancer among women.

Pictured: Hughes and Taylor during chemotherapy

Hughes' cancer journey began in February 2024 after noticing a lump on her breast.

"I was laying in bed and I think I saw a commercial on the television talking about, self-breast exams. And I think I just felt it myself," Jenifer recalled.

Hughes started her chemotherapy journey in April.

"Life stops, your heart drops. And as a nurse, you know too much about too little," she explained.

As Hughes was preparing to begin a new round of chemotherapy months later, she arrived at the hospital expecting Alyssa to administer the medication, but her friend was nowhere to be found.

"I said, 'I'm sorry I missed it, but I promise it was a really good one.' I was having my own biopsy and I am now going to be part of the club," Taylor said.

Now, both women are proud survivors. Taylor recently finished her last treatment.

"I couldn't have gotten through the last year and a half, two years without her [Hughes]," Taylor said.

While both nurses are cancer-free, they stress that the physical and mental recovery is ongoing.

"I still have a couple of things I will be dealing with," Hughes noted. "There's still that little voice in the back of your head, especially as a nurse, that things could go awry again."

During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Hughes and Taylor are urging women to prioritize their health.

"Just follow up with your mammograms and get those done," said Hughes. "And if you think that something isn't right or doesn't feel like it should, or it's okay to ask," said Taylor.

"If we can help one person catch this early enough that they can receive treatment and be able to see their family grow and continue life, that's what we want," Alyssa said.