Shelly Sepulveda grew up in Borger, Texas, a Panhandle town with a population of fewer than 10,000 people. A strong sense of connectedness bound the community together, creating long-lasting friendships and a tight-knit feel. When Sepulveda and her wife, Tami, relocated to Medway, Massachusetts, to continue their nursing careers, they found that familiar sense of small-town charm.
Over the years, the Sepulvedas opened their hearts and home to more than 20 infants in foster care and adopted five. All the infants placed in their care were born exposed to drugs, and the five they adopted initially had no homes to return to.
“At the time, my life revolved around my work and my family,” says Sepulveda, 48, a former neonatal intensive care nurse and later, a clinical documentation manager. “As a nurse, it’s easier to be task-oriented and in control because I’m the one caring for the patient.”
In January 2024, the roles were reversed when Sepulveda became the patient. She went to the emergency room with vomiting and abdominal pain. As a nurse, she suspected her gallbladder might be to blame — but an abdominal CT scan revealed tumors on her ovaries, leading to a diagnosis of stage III ovarian cancer.
Currently, there is no screening test for ovarian cancer unless a person has a known genetic mutation. Symptoms — like bloating or pelvic pain — are often vague or absent until the disease has progressed.
Shortly after her emergency room visit, Sepulveda met with Olga Kozyreva, MD, associate medical director at Dana-Farber at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center, to discuss treatment options, which included both intravenous (IV) and intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy — a specialized procedure that few doctors are trained to perform.
“The day I met Dr. Kozyreva, she sat down on my bed and said, ‘Talk to me,’” recalls Sepulveda. “She wanted to hear my story in my own words. I was impressed with her bedside manner and knew I wanted her to be my doctor.”
Feeling empowered by their conversation, Sepulveda chose Jessica St. Laurent, MD, a gynecologic oncologist at Dana-Farber, to deliver a dose of hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), which involves administering medication directly into the abdominal cavity through a surgically implanted catheter.
“Shelly is a fighter and a doer,” says Kozyreva. “She has a long road ahead, and our goal for Shelly – as with every Dana-Farber patient – is to make them one of those who beats the odds. During her cancer journey, we do all we can to help Shelly feel as though she’s in charge — not the cancer.”
Sepulveda’s first course of treatment included lengthy surgery to remove the tumors and administer the HIPEC, followed by weekly IV chemotherapy. After a brief remission, the cancer returned, and she resumed weekly IV treatments last fall.
“I live an hour away, but my decision to go to the Brighton campus instead of one closer to home came down to Dr. Kozyreva and Dana-Farber having the treatment and expertise that I need,” she explains.
Throughout her cancer journey, Sepulveda’s self-described “type A” personality and positive outlook have helped her stay grounded, though the road hasn’t been without challenges.
“When I first lost my hair, I felt a sense of loss for my personal identity, and I grieved that,” she says. “When I had to step down from my job in November 2024, I also felt a loss for my professional identity, and I grieved that too. I have my undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral degrees in nursing. It was a mental adjustment, but I’m embracing the opportunity to get to know the ‘new me.’”
Sepulveda and her family have also welcomed an outpouring of love from their community. Her mailbox is often filled with cards from friends, family, past colleagues, and even former teachers. Her refrigerator is regularly stocked with homemade meals from neighbors —each one delivered with kind words and warm hugs, reminiscent of her childhood in Texas.
“That’s one of the beauties of growing up in a small town,” says Sepulveda. “I consider myself lucky to have that level of support in my life. I’m humbled by everyone who has cared not only for me, but also for my family.”
For the Sepulvedas, the support has felt overwhelming in the best way. But for Kozyreva, it comes as no surprise.
“Shelly is a tough person with a tough disease,” says Kozyreva. “What she and her wife have done with their lives – fostering and adopting children born to parents with substance use disorders – is a display of how much love they have for others. Shelly’s heart is ever-expanding.”
About the Medical Reviewer
Jessica St. Laurent, MD is a Gynecologic Oncologist and researcher that provides comprehensive surgical and medical oncology care for patients with gynecologic cancer. Dr. St. Laurent received her MD from Tufts University School of Medicine with a concentration in translational research. She completed her residency in the combined Brigham and Women's/Massachusetts General Hospital Obstetrics and Gynecology program and her fellowship in Gynecologic Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women's. She is a Reproductive Scientist Development Program Scholar whose laboratory research focuses on developing a better understanding of the basic biology of endometrial cancer and developing new treatment approaches for gynecologic cancers.