Alyssa Montalto’s world came to a screeching halt when she heard the words that her mother had cancer. At just 28 years old, the bright-eyed, optimistic Ivy League graduate had her whole life ahead of her. She comes from a large, close-knit Italian family, surrounded by cousins and extended relatives—but Alyssa’s rock was always her mom, Diane.
“I’ve always thought of my mom as the strongest person I know,” Alyssa says.
In February 2022, that strength was put to the ultimate test when Diane was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer that had metastasized to her liver.
Prior to her diagnosis, Diane was healthy, active, and loved to travel. “I never felt sick,” she said. It was only after experiencing some unusual bleeding that she sought medical advice. Initially told it was likely to be hemorrhoids or ulcerative colitis; it took three months before a diagnostic colonoscopy revealed the truth. Her doctor’s words were stark: “You need to see an oncologist.”
Trained as an engineer, Diane approached the situation as just another project. “There was no time to feel sorry for myself, no time to cry.” After researching multiple options, she chose Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center for her treatment— “They saved my life.”
Within two weeks of her diagnosis, Diane began chemotherapy. She endured 15 rounds of treatment and two surgeries. Ultimately, she was declared cancer-free on December 14, 2022.
Through it all, Diane was surrounded by unwavering support from an entire “village” that included her husband Steve, her mother, brothers, sisters, in-laws, son Stephen and especially Alyssa, who lived nearby. Alyssa became a constant source of strength and creativity. In the midst of treatment, Alyssa organized a surprise Valentine’s Day party to lift her mother’s spirits. On infusion days, she quietly rallied family and friends to send texts of encouragement so as Diane sat in the chemo lounge, she was reminded of exactly what she was fighting for.
Support poured in from across the country—Massachusetts, Florida, Arizona, California, Ohio and nearby from New York and New Jersey. Friends and family prayed the rosary together, sent flowers, delivered homemade soup, and filled Diane’s days with cards, letters, and gifts.
“I realize how fortunate I am,” Diane said. “Not everyone has that kind of support.”
By 2023, Diane was not only cancer-free—she was celebrating life’s biggest milestones, including the weddings of both her children, Alyssa and Stephen. Soon after, she became a grandmother. Today, she focuses on living with zeal. “I don’t really think about my cancer now,” she said. “I just live my life.”
For Alyssa, however, the experience left a lasting impression.
“The fear never fully goes away,” she admits. “But what I learned is that it truly takes a village to get through something like this.”
That realization—and a chance encounter with a local newspaper ad—led both Alyssa and Diane to Cancer Hope Network.
As a family already committed to giving back, volunteering felt like a natural next step. But this was different; this was personal.
Together, mother and daughter became peer mentors, offering guidance, empathy, and hope to others navigating their own cancer journeys. Today, Diane supports seven mentees, while Alyssa mentors eight.
“There’s no playbook for cancer,” Alyssa says. “Until you go through it, you can’t fully understand what someone else is experiencing.”
For Diane, volunteering is deeply meaningful. “I’ve been given the gift of life,” she said. “I know not everyone gets that chance. This is my way of sharing that gift with others.”
What began as a daughter’s love in the face of fear has grown into something even greater, a shared mission between mother and daughter to give back, support others, and ensure that no one faces cancer alone. Diane and Alyssa are not only survivors, but a powerful example of what it means to pay it forward.
