CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — Janine Cross has devoted more than three decades of her life to helping others as a nurse at Oishei Children's Hospital.
When Cross sat down with 2 On Your Side, she said one of her favorite parts of what she does is who she works with.
"They definitely have been a big family to me" she said.
Cross is a mother to two girls. Her youngest daughter, Erica, is following in her mother's footsteps. She will be graduating from D'Youville College in December to become a nurse.
"She's my role model, she's who I want to be when I'm older," Erica Cross said.
In 2013, Janine Cross switched roles and became a patient when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
After receiving treatment, she thought it was behind her. However, recently the cancer returned and spread.
"I did some scans, I had three lymph nodes light up on the scan. A couple spots on the lung, in my right rib, and I believe the spine and my liver had a couple spots" she recalled.
Her fellow nurses at Oishei Children's Hospital heard the news and wanted to help.
"As soon as we heard she was in the hospital, we started hearing what was going on with her, we just all pulled together and said we need to do something," Cross' friend, Jackie Sheehan, said.
A benefit will be held for her on March 20 at Knights of Columbus from 4 to 10 p.m. to help her and her family while she is not able to work.
If you would like to attend you can purchase tickets at the door.
A Go Fund Me account is also set up to support her and her daughters during this time.
"It just helped me to really thank God for each day and, you know, I'll ask him to give me the strength to get through this," Cross said.