Faith, Family, and Community: Sister Barbara Stays Strong through a Long Journey with Cancer
Sister Barbara McHugh is grateful for the consistent, caring, and expert care she has received at BMC Brighton through an arduous, multiphase cancer journey.
When Sister Barbara McHugh went in for her routine primary care appointment in 2008, she had no idea it would mark the start of a long journey with cancer that continues today. “They sent me down for an ultrasound and called me back a few days later to come in,” she remembers. “I knew something was up.”
The ultrasound revealed two suspicious tumors that turned out to be stage two endometrial and stage one ovarian cancer. Sister Barbara, a self-described “worrier,” was relieved to be quickly scheduled for a full hysterectomy and 30 radiation treatments at what is now Boston Medical Center – Brighton (BMC Brighton).
What followed would become a pattern for Sister Barbara—treatment, recovery, relapse, and long stretches of cautious hope. Through it all, her faith, family, and community have kept her going.
Facing Cancer Again and Again
After another bout with cancer in 2015, Sister Barbara had clean scans until 2019, when her care team discovered her cancer had spread to her liver and around her diaphragm. She had surgery to remove the cancer and replace her diaphragm with an implant. It was then that she first met surgeon Eduardo A. Vega, MD. “He was assisting, and he talked a lot with me and my family,” Sister Barbara remembers. “Everybody enjoyed him. He was very personable and very clear.”
Once again, Sister Barbara enjoyed several years cancer-free. But in April 2025, the cancer reappeared—requiring her to have a pea-sized lung nodule removed. Thanks to her regular follow-ups at BMC Brighton during that time, her care team found early pancreatic cancer. “When you hear pancreatic cancer, you think, ‘Oh my God,’” she says. “But I keep saying, God doesn’t want me. I had no symptoms, so I really believe the follow-ups saved my life. I will never not go to my six-month scans.”
A New Cancer, but a Familiar Surgeon
For an especially scary diagnosis, Sister Barbara was relieved to find out that Dr. Vega would be her surgeon. “In addition to being a skilled physician, he’s just a very nice man,” she explains. “And I believe that he is committed to his own faith and therefore understands my faith.”
Dr. Vega performed a robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgery in June 2025 to remove part of Sister Barbara’s pancreas and spleen before she began six months of chemotherapy.
Sister Barbara is grateful that she can get her cancer care at BMC Brighton, “right down the street” from her religious congregation, Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston.
With her religious congregation, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston, “right down the street” from BMC Brighton, Sister Barbara appreciates being able to receive all her cancer care close to home. She even receives her radiation and chemo from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at BMC Brighton. “They’re all connected,” she explains. “Dr. Vega has my oncologist on speed dial.”
A Healthy Return to a Life of Meaning
Through multiple diagnoses, surgeries, and recoveries, Sister Barbara remains grateful and positive. “I thank God I am a religious woman, and I have my faith,” she says. “I attribute my strength first to God, and then to the family, friends, and community who keep me going—especially my brother Kenny, my sister-in-law Janice, and my nieces and nephew and their families, for their loving support.”
She is also grateful for the community nurses from St. Joseph’s who always accompany her to doctors’ visits and help her absorb information and navigate complex decisions. “As a patient, you don’t hear everything at your appointments,” she says. “I am fortunate that I have such good notes to follow.”
Today, Sister Barbara is feeling well. She continues to lead a full life of prayer and service, building community with those around her. She also enjoys sharing her story with others, including students at the high school where she used to teach, in hopes that it might offer reassurance or perspective.
“I like stories and have learned from people’s sharing,” she says. “So, I figure if I can share my story and help some people, that matters.”
Comprehensive Cancer Care, Close to Home
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute at BMC Brighton gives patients access to some of the area’s leading oncologists, hematologists, nurses, and professional support staff. From diagnosis to treatment and recovery, our team provides expert, compassionate care across all stages of cancer.
Expert and Compassionate Surgical Care
Our team of highly trained surgeons at BMC Brighton responds to a wide range of conditions and with diverse advanced specialties, including robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgery; hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery; weight loss surgery; colorectal surgery; trauma and critical care; and surgical oncology. We use the latest technologies—such as robotic surgery and enhanced recovery protocols—to optimize your outcomes and minimize your recovery time.