For Linda Cowern, the most powerful moment at Lowell General Hospital TeamWalk for CancerCare isn't when the first walker crosses the starting line. It's the sea of t-shirts that stretches across the event grounds—hundreds of them hanging on clotheslines, each one representing someone's courageous battle against cancer.
"This really pulls on my heartstrings. Very impactful," said Linda, who knows that view from both sides.
From volunteer to patient and back again
In 2013, while undergoing treatment for breast cancer at Lowell General Hospital, the Dracut grandmother benefited from TeamWalk-funded lymphatic massage therapy. "I never gave it a second thought actually," Linda said about being a TeamWalk volunteer who suddenly needed help. "But when services were offered to me, I was so grateful! It made my recovery so much better."
Here's what makes her story remarkable: Linda has volunteered at every single TeamWalk since the event began 27 years ago, before, during and after her own cancer diagnosis. A longtime LGH employee who retired in 2025 after 52 years, she shows no signs of slowing down.
A mission at the finish line
On May 3, you'll find Linda at her favorite spot: the finish line. "Seeing the survivors' faces as they cross knowing what they just accomplished gives them hope and strength to keep going," she said. "That they are not alone."
A family affair
But Linda doesn't volunteer alone. Her brothers, Marc and Scott Larmand, joined TeamWalk because of her. Together, the three siblings hang hundreds of team t-shirts the day before the walk. When the event begins, the brothers head out on the route in their signature Cat in the Hat hats for the kids' scavenger hunt.
"My brother and I stand at the same location each year and people remember us," said Marc. "It is nice to see the same people year after year and we love it when the kids come up and get their scavenger hunt card punched."
For Scott, a teacher at Lowell Day Nursery, the role brings unexpected joy. "Inevitably one of my students passes by and they always have that look of 'what are you doing here?'" Scott laughs. "And I tell them, 'I am the Cat in the Hat! You never know where I will be!'"
A legacy of service
The siblings' dedication runs deep, taught by a father who was always volunteering, whether at Lowell General Hospital bingo every Wednesday or teaching seniors to paint. "As far back as I can remember, my dad volunteered," Scott said. "He loved people and they loved him right back."
Linda's cancer diagnosis refocused that family passion. "We were all involved in TeamWalk, but having a close family member affected refocused our passion," Scott explained. "When people ask if there is something they can do, this is something they can certainly do. It helps so many people in ways that we will never know."
Experience what TeamWalk is all about
Linda's message to potential volunteers? "I would encourage everyone to volunteer to experience what TeamWalk is all about. Rain or shine, we make it happen. It's a very rewarding experience to be helping cancer patients in the community."
On May 3, look for Linda at the finish line and the Larmand brothers in their Cat in the Hat hats. They'll be right where they've always been—serving the community that once served them.
