Joette Lussier was the kind of person you couldn't ignore, and wouldn't want to. Bold, funny and fiercely loving, she was the matriarch who held her family together and the friend who showed up, every time, without hesitation. Her laugh could fill a room. Her presence could fill a life.
When Joette passed away in October 2025 after a short but courageous battle with cancer, the people who loved her were left with a question many grieving families face: What do we do with all this love?
What do we do with all this love?
For her daughters Allison Scott and Danielle DeBoer, the answer came naturally. They created Joette's Full House, a team in their mother's memory for Lowell General Hospital's TeamWalk for CancerCare and then watched, a little awestruck, as the people who loved Joette found their way to it.
"I knew that my mom was loved by many, but building her team amazed me," the sisters said. "People who never met her personally but knew her through my sister and I and our father are truly awe-inspiring."
Still being Joette
It's their first year participating in TeamWalk, and already their team is among the largest in the event. To Allison and Danielle, that's not surprising. It's just Joette, still being Joette.
"She was always larger than life," the sisters said. "So it's no surprise to us that even after her passing, so many people want to honor her."
During Joette's treatment at Lowell General Hospital Cancer Center, the family found comfort in the people caring for her. The nurses, they say, made an impression that has stayed with them.
"They were not only there to care for our mother, but they also cared for us in a way," the sisters said. Allison added, "They made me feel a little bit more at ease leaving her in the hospital, knowing she was in such good hands."
More than remembrance
The sisters are quick to point out that this isn't just about remembrance. Joette's battle opened their eyes to how much support cancer patients and their families truly need beyond diagnosis and treatment, and knowing that TeamWalk funds go toward things like medications, wigs, transportation and support groups gives every dollar and every step a deeper meaning.
On walk day, they expect the emotions to come in waves. But by the time they cross the finish line, they know what they're hoping to feel: proud, honored and surrounded by people who loved their mother and chose to show up the same way Joette always did for them.
Showing up, just like she did
"Our mom didn't just love people," the sisters said. "She showed up for them, over and over again. That's what this team represents."
Joette's story, her daughters say, doesn't end here. It's being carried forward, one step, one team member, one act of love at a time.
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