October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and women's volleyball player Cassie Stewart knows first-hand how powerful this disease is.  The junior, who has emerged as a team leader this season, shares a personal look at how breast cancer has affected her family.
 
Breast cancer has been a huge part of my life over the past couple of years.
 
Four years ago, I lost my grandmother to breast cancer. The months following her passing were very difficult for my family because we couldn't believe that this really happened to us. Losing my grandma was extremely hard on my mom because she lost not only her mother, but her best friend and life coach. My grandmother was the light in my life and the person I looked up to and admired the most.
 
A year after my grandmothers passing, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and needed to immediately have a double mastectomy. Because of infections and other complications, my mom had to go through eight surgeries that year. Along with my mom, both of my aunts also had to have double mastectomies.
 
My mom and grandmother have been such an inspiration to me. They taught me about strength and how important it is to appreciate the little things in life. Many people don't really understand how important it is to recognize the small and beautiful things in life we tend to take for granted.
 
We live in a world where cancer has negatively impacted so many people's lives, and it has helped me to stop focusing on the negative things in life.
 
Many people tend to forget that it's not just the people with the cancer who are affected, but their husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, sons, daughters, cousins, friends, and co-workers who all feel the pain of losing people to this disease.
 
Anyone who has experience this struggle or felt the pain of cancer, it is important to know you are not alone, and that it is important to rely on the people around you to help you and your family through it. 
 


Breast Cancer Awareness Month
UC Irvine Athletics and UCI Health are teaming up in October for Breast Cancer Awareness month. A full week of athletic events will be dedicated to raising awareness around detection, treatment, research and raising funds to support ground-breaking research, clinical trials and treatment options at the UCI Health Breast Health Center.

Schedule of Pink Athletic Events:
October 3 - Women's Soccer vs UC Riverside
October 9 - Men's Soccer vs UC Riverside 
October 12 - Women's Volleyball vs Cal State Fullerton
Ticket Information | www.ucirvinesports.com/pink

Fans can select a special Pink Ticket for these games which includes a $2 donation to the UCI Health Breast Health Center. In addition, a limited number of Pink Edition Hat Packs are available. Each pack includes a ticket to the game, a pink edition UCI hat and a $5 donation to the UCI Health Breast Health Center.

The UCI Health Breast Health Center is one of California's leading breast centers. As part of the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, Orange County's only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center, the UCI Health program is dedicated to providing complete care, a multidisciplinary team approach to coordinating personalized therapy, and access to leading clinical trials and new treatment options.