TAMPA, Fla. — Two years ago, Jacqueline Ambrose was living the dream.
She moved back home to Tampa for her law career and was closer to her parents as she started her own family. But little did she know all those decisions to take the job and move when she did would become a twist of fate for her.
“I think my whole career has really led this way. I used to say, you know, accidentally on purpose,” Jacqueline said.
Jacqueline is the associate general counsel at Florida Cancer Specialists. The fight against cancer is a heartbreaking family legacy for her.
It first began in 2003 when her mom, Rose Marie, was diagnosed with breast cancer. After treatment, she went into remission, but six years later, the cancer returned.
After treatment a second time, she went back into remission. But the third time it came back was devastating on so many levels, as Jacqueline’s older sister, Erica, was also diagnosed with Colorectal Cancer.
As Erica fought the disease, their mother lost her battle in May of 2018.
“It felt like the ground came out from under us. I mean, that bond she had with us and with our father was just our bedrock," Jacqueline said. "And it really, it felt like losing her almost was kind of pulling the plug on a whole series of awful events that transpired after that."
The months after were a blur as Jacqueline focused on her sister and father.
But yet another incredibly cruel twist of fate arose. As tests later revealed, her father, Mike, had pancreatic cancer.
“I remember sitting at dinner with him and him saying that they found a mass, and they weren't sure what it was," Jacqueline said. “I couldn't cry on his shoulder about him because I had to be the strong one. And I got in my car to drive back home. I remember just screaming because how could it be possible that one family would have all of this?"
Her sister Erica passed away in July 2019 at just 32 years old. Then five months later, her father lost his battle too.
“I can't really make sense of any one of us without the rest of us," Jacqueline said. "And so, it's a little bit, 'Why me?' but it's more, 'Why my family? Why did this happen to my family?' I don't have an answer for that. I will never have an answer for that."
But Jacqueline has tried to remember the positives through it all.
"You know, there's a way to look at it. I am blessed with two amazing children," she said. "And so, while there is some guilt like I still get to be here, I still get to have these experiences, I also get to make sure they don't go through it."
Jacqueline said there were signs of cancer in both her father and her sister that they missed. They wrote it off as grief and stress.
Her father had extreme weight loss and couldn't eat. Her sister was also having digestive issues.
Jacqueline’s advice is, don't ignore signs of trouble. See a doctor.
She said when patients come for treatment at Florida Cancer Specialists, and she tells them she understands what they're going through, she really means it.
Oftentimes, she'll even share her family's heartbreaking legacy.
