At Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, Alexandra Clithero found more than exceptional cancer care close to home. She found a community that made all the difference

Alexandra “Alex” Clithero is the Honorary Patient of the 2026 Seacoast Cancer 5K.

Trusting Her Instincts

When Alex Clithero discovered a lump during a routine self-exam in June 2021, she trusted her instincts.

Having watched her mother navigate cancer, Alex understood the importance of self-advocacy and paying close attention to changes in her health. Although insurance restrictions had prevented her from getting a mammogram earlier, she persisted, pushing for additional testing that ultimately revealed two tumors.

It was the beginning of a journey that would test her physically and emotionally, but also introduce her to a community of caregivers, fellow patients, and supporters who would become like family.

From the moment she received her diagnosis of triple-negative breast cancer, Alex found comfort at the Mass General Brigham Cancer Institute at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital.

“From the get-go, they saw me as a human first,” she recalls. “It was so comforting because when you’re first diagnosed with cancer, conversations can quickly focus on treatment options, symptoms, doctors, and appointments. At Wentworth-Douglass, I never felt like just a diagnosis. They cared about how I was coping as a person, and together we figured out the next steps.”

More Than a Care Team

Her first round of chemotherapy came during the second wave of COVID. When changing pandemic restrictions required her to attend treatments alone, the nurses, oncologists, and staff made sure she never felt isolated.

“It was more than a patient-nurse relationship,” she says about her care team. “They became true friends, so I never worried about being alone. They were the one bright spot during an otherwise difficult situation.”

Then, two years later, Alex’s cancer returned, despite clear scans just six months earlier.

She learned the news on Halloween while trick-or-treating with her son, Austin. Her oncologist called to tell her the cancer had come back, and it was aggressive.

Her care team wanted to begin chemotherapy right away, but Alex had one request: she wanted to get through Thanksgiving with her family first. The team listened and worked with her to create a plan that balanced the urgency of treatment with what mattered most. Soon after the holiday, she began 18 consecutive weeks of chemotherapy, followed by radiation, and surgery.

The same nurses who had supported her during her first diagnosis welcomed her back, and new staff members already knew who she was. They asked about her mother and checked in on her family.

“They take care of you holistically,” Alex says. “From the receptionist to the oncologist to the surgeons — all of them view you as a human being first.”

The Unicorn Slayer

As her disease evolved into a more complex diagnosis, Alex’s care expanded beyond Wentworth-Douglass to include specialists across Mass General Brigham.

“The partnership with Mass General opened a lot of doors from a care perspective,” she says. “Everyone put their brains together, included me in the conversation, to make sure they explored every option, so I received the best treatment possible.”

That collaboration became especially important when what Alex assumed was a lingering radiation rash turned out to be metastatic breast cancer that had spread to her skin, an uncommon presentation that revealed just how unusual her triple-negative breast cancer was.

Rather than letting that discourage her, Alex embraced a nickname inspired by the rarity of her cancer. If her cancer was a “unicorn,” she decided she would become the “unicorn slayer.”

Despite ongoing uncertainty, she remains remarkably hopeful.

“I’ve never felt this is a fight that I can’t win,” she says. “I have a team behind me both as a patient and as a person.”

Finding Strength in Community

That support extended to Austin, who was just five years old when his mother was first diagnosed. Inspired by the compassion shown to his family, he created cancer care kits for patients and helped launch Hawks for Hope, a fundraising initiative through his youth football program. Since then, the effort has expanded to include multiple youth sports programs and is working toward becoming a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families facing cancer.

For Alex, helping others has become one of the most meaningful outcomes of her journey.

“What we’re learning about my cancer is going to help other people,” she says. “That’s a big part of who I am as a special education teacher, a human, and a mom.”

That spirit of connection and giving back is why the Seacoast Cancer 5K means so much to her.

Alex has participated in the event for years, first as a donor and supporter, then as a patient — walking alongside friends and fellow survivors.

What strikes Alex most each year is the powerful sense of community.

“You meet people, hear their stories, and realize you’re all connected,” Alex says.

“The Seacoast Cancer 5K is about rallying around those who are fighting cancer today and those who haven’t even begun their journey. It’s a beautiful way to make cancer feel less like a monster and more like something we can face together. It’s not the end of people’s stories.”

Five years after her first diagnosis, Alex remains deeply grateful for the caregivers who have walked beside her through every challenge.

“I don’t think I would be in this physical, emotional, or mental space without the incredible community of people at the cancer center,” she says. “I feel fortunate, and I am so grateful for them.”