It was the holiday season of 2023, and Jack’s honey-do list seemed just as long as Santa’s nice list. He had been tackling projects for his wife of more than 20 years, Monica, as they prepared to host Christmas that year.
Lately, Jack had not been feeling quite like himself. He wasn’t sure if he was overworking or simply fighting off a seasonal cold, but something felt different this time. He began experiencing tingling sensations and sharp pain radiating down his right arm into his fingers. At first, he wondered if it was simply due to overuse, but the discomfort persisted. Monica urged him to schedule an appointment with his family doctor.
A few weeks later, a CT scan of Jack’s neck was ordered. The results were unremarkable, but the tingling continued. About a month later, Jack noticed a sizable lump in his right armpit. Once again, Monica encouraged him to follow up with his doctor. An ultrasound was ordered, and this time the findings were concerning. A biopsy was scheduled.
Jack recalls being in the attic when he received a call from his doctor. She informed him that the biopsy had tested positive for cancer cells. They could not yet identify the type of cancer, but it was undeniably the dreaded “C” word.
Jack’s head was spinning. He had countless questions, yet his doctor could not provide many answers. He could hear the frustration in her voice as well. In disbelief, he immediately called Monica, who was a registered nurse.
Monica remembers driving when she received the call. It took a moment to process what Jack was telling her.
“What? How could this be?” she thought.
In that moment, she drew strength from her faith in the Lord and her trust in science to offer comfort and reassurance. Together, they would face whatever lay ahead.
The following weeks felt like years. Between scheduling appointments, navigating insurance, managing their estate planning, and waiting for scans and diagnostic tests, everything seemed to move painfully slowly. Time was ticking, and they still had no clear answers.
Finally, they met with an oncologist who had consulted multiple specialists. The diagnosis: neuroendocrine tumors with an unknown primary origin.
Jack and Monica agreed not to tell their children until they had a prognosis and treatment plan. Their children were thriving, and they did not want to burden them with uncertainty.
Their oldest daughter, Mariah, had returned home from university and was preparing to begin an 18-month church mission in Chile. Their son, Lorenzo, had just completed sixth grade and earned a spot on the city’s all-star youth baseball team. Their youngest daughter, Maeve, was finishing transitional kindergarten and learning to read.
Because each child was at a different stage of life, Jack and Monica knew they would need to approach each conversation thoughtfully and individually.
A colonoscopy, endoscopy, and full-body CT scan all failed to identify the source of the neuroendocrine tumors. Still, doctors told them that people often live long, fulfilling lives while receiving treatment for this condition. Encouraged by that outlook, Jack began Lutathera injections.
After the first treatment, his immune system weakened. Then the weight loss began.
Rapidly.
By the third injection, Jack had lost more than 30 pounds. He became so weak that getting out of bed was difficult. His appetite disappeared, and maintaining proper nutrition became a struggle. He seemed to be wasting away before Monica’s eyes.
Sleep became elusive for Monica. She often woke in a panic just to make sure her husband was still breathing.
As a former hospice nurse, Monica eventually advised Jack to stop the injections and prepare for the possibility that time might be limited. Together, they decided to consult a naturopath and discontinue Lutathera.
If Jack was going to die, they agreed, it would be holistically and in God’s time.
During this period, they shared the diagnosis with their two oldest children and a small circle of family members. Together, they began praying fervently for a miracle.
That miracle arrived in disguise.
One morning, after losing so much weight, Jack noticed a small lump near his right nipple.
Monica immediately recognized the importance of the finding.
“That could be something. You need to message your doctor right away.”
The breast biopsy results revealed that the tissue matched the previously biopsied neuroendocrine tumors. At last, doctors identified the primary source.
Jack’s diagnosis changed to breast cancer.
As shocking as the news was, they were relieved to finally have answers. Of all cancers, breast cancer is among the most researched, and they felt hopeful that a clearer path forward now existed.
Previous imaging had revealed tumors throughout his spine and right pelvis. Given the extent of disease and the aggressive progression they had already witnessed, Jack and Monica suspected his cancer was Stage III or Stage IV.
A bone biopsy was scheduled to determine the next steps.
If the biopsy came back negative, Jack could be a candidate for a mastectomy. If positive, a different treatment approach would be required.
The night before the procedure, Monica publicly shared Jack’s diagnosis. She asked family and friends around the world to fast and pray on their behalf. Whatever the outcome, they needed strength.
Even Mariah, serving her mission in Chile, asked her mission president to organize a fast specifically for her father.
Family members and friends in the Philippines, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia, the United States, and even Japan, where Jack had served a mission decades earlier, joined in prayer and fasting.
The bone biopsy came back positive for cancer cells.
Jack officially had Stage IV breast cancer.
A mastectomy was no longer an option because surgery would likely do more harm than good.
Monica knew the timing was not right for surgery anyway. Jack was still far too weak, having lost so much weight and muscle mass.
A week later, he developed walking pneumonia and was forced to stop working. His oncologist placed him on temporary disability while he recovered.
Known to his students as “Mr. Q,” Jack was heartbroken.
As an elementary school counselor, he had spent years pursuing his dream. He had earned two master’s degrees, one in education and another in school counseling. After working tirelessly to reach his goal, he had spent only three years working full-time as a school counselor before cancer forced him to step away.
During his recovery, Jack discovered how deeply music helped him cope. What had once been entertainment became a form of therapy.
Meanwhile, he began taking Tamoxifen to suppress estrogen production, which was fueling his cancer. Fortunately, genetic testing revealed that he did not carry BRCA mutations, meaning his children had not inherited an increased genetic risk from his diagnosis.
He also began treatment with Xeloda, which worked well enough for him to regain strength and return to work the following April.
From there, PET scans guided the course of treatment. Eventually, Xeloda was replaced by Ibrance. In August 2026, his treatment transitioned to Enhertu infusions.
Today, more than two years after his breast cancer diagnosis, Jack considers every day a gift.
Life has not been easy. Cancer and chemotherapy bring ongoing challenges and side effects. Yet Monica still considers his presence nothing short of miraculous because she remembers just how close they came to losing him.
Life looks a little different now, but Jack continues to enjoy cooking, camping, action and science-fiction movies, building LEGO sets, motorsports, pickleball, and mountain biking.
The Querequincia family’s life remains anchored in prayer and faith, supported by a worldwide network of loved ones who continue to lift them up.
Jack’s faith in Jesus Christ has guided him through every step of this journey. Today, he continues working with troubled youth and their families while serving as a leader for young people in his church.
None of these blessings are lost on him.
He understands their significance and is grateful for every moment.
Tomorrow is never promised, but as Jack often says:
“I still have work to do on this side of Heaven.”