STANFORD, Calif. - In recognition of October's Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Stanford donned pink and white jerseys in a 3-0 win over Boston College on Oct. 12.
Below are the fan submissions which were picked to be represented with a name or phrase on the back of the team's jereseys during the Pink Match.
L. Ralph worn by No. 2 Kami Miner:
"My hero is my Mommom Lorraine Ralph, or as I lovingly knew her, Mommom Ducky. She was the embodiment of hard work, selflessness, and love, always putting others before herself. From a young age, I admired her dedication to our community and her unwavering commitment to helping others. Mommom Ducky worked as a dispatcher for our town's police department until right before she passed away, never letting her illness slow her down. Even while battling her own health struggles, she continued to take care of those around her. She often ran errands for her elderly neighbors and had worked as an EMT when she was younger, always finding ways to help people in need. What made her truly extraordinary, though, was the way she cared for me. No matter what, Mommom Ducky made sure I was looked after, even when her own health was failing. Diagnosed during my early teens, she chose to keep her illness private, never wanting anyone to worry or feel sorry for her. She faced her challenges with quiet strength and grace, never asking for anything in return. Losing her when I was 15 was one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced, but her legacy of love and service lives on in me. Mommom Ducky’s life taught me what it means to be selfless, to work hard, and to always be there for others. I lost her too soon, but her impact will forever be a guiding light in my life." - Elizabeth DiAntonio
P Schneider worn by No. 3 Anna Pringle:
"I was 12 years old when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. She fought it for over 20 years before passing away. However, she has been the biggest inspiration for so many of those who knew her. When she passed, easily over 300 people attended her celebration of life. She walked with Avon Walks, she documented her 20-year medical journey which she then donated back to the Stanford Oncology department for analysis, and she is a constant reminder to myself, my family, and most importantly my kids that life is going to deal you hands that are good and sometimes bad. How you handle the bad hands define your character and my girls constantly asked me about Grandma Pam, is she watching them, that they love her and she loves them, and so much. My only regret is that she didn't get to spend more time with her grandchildren. My mom is someone who is a constant reminder of excellence, perseverance, enthusiasm, love, and most importantly, caring. Pamela Jo Schneider is truly one a kind and still is the best mom I could have ever hoped for." - Nick Schneider
Fight worn by No. 4 Taylor Beaven:
"During the pandemic, my mom got diagnosed with stage three breast cancer. I was 10 years old at the time and it was really hard news to accept. She had always been my hero and the possibility of losing her was unbearable. As I watched her fight with incredible strength throughout her recovery, I found a spark of motivation within me. Volleyball became my sanctuary, a way to channel my emotions and distract myself from the heaviness of her diagnosis. Each practice and match became a tribute to her resilience and journey, pushing me to not only excel on the court but to honor her by embracing every moment of life with her that I could, both on and off the court. I told myself that if she could fight breast cancer, then I could do anything, and I was going to make her proud." - Aeryn Jessica Maher
Strong worn by No. 5 Jordyn Harvey:
"To honor this strong woman who has faced multiple unrelated cancers with unwavering strength, we recognize her as not only a Mom, Wife, Daughter, and Sister, but also as a fierce fighter. Despite her challenges, including battling more than breast cancer, she has persevered, with Stanford's medical expertise playing a pivotal role in saving her life. During her fight against breast cancer, she continued her role as a volleyball team mom, and her volleyball community became her village, rallying around her and her family with support and care. The sport of volleyball and her "village" were integral to her journey, offering comfort during her toughest days. She will forever be indebted to both Stanford and the sport of volleyball for standing by her and helping her through this battle." - Karen Johnson
D. Knowles won by No. 6 Koko Kirsch:
It was shared with the program that a Stanford women's volleyball alumna's breast cancer has returned. Honoring her with the number she wore when she was a member of the Cardinal program.
Nurse worn by No. 8 Sydney Duncan:
"My mom has been a nurse practitioner for an OB/GYN for 25+ years. She has shared many stories about the affect of breast cancer has had on our family members and her patients. Her tireless work in women's health is an inspiration to me to live a life of empathy, support and selflessness." - Nicole Klobuchar
Apelila worn by No. 9 Elena Oglivie:
"My family and I are from Kapolei, Hi and 11 years ago we got the call that changed our lives and took us on a breast cancer journey supporting our mom, April. She fought and never let cancer get in the way of enjoying life with her children and grandchildren. We call my mom the energizer bunny because through every treatment, surgery, and multiple doctor's appointments a week, she still continued to go to work and pushed through while taking care of my Dad who has diabetes. On August 22, 2024 she had her last oncologist appointment giving her the best news. My Mom is our superhero and our “Strong & Courageous” (Joshua 1:9) Survivor! Our family will continue to wear PINK throughout the Year, especially in October!" - Ka’ulaaloha Santos
Rayna worn by No. 11 Lizzy Andrew:
"Rayna was my grandmother, a remarkable woman who not only battled breast cancer with incredible strength but also inspired many as a professor of European history. Her passion for teaching and sharing knowledge left a lasting impact on her students and everyone who knew her. Rayna’s resilience and commitment to educating others embody the spirit of perseverance we celebrate during this Pink Match. She is a true warrior and a guiding light in our family." - Drew Davenport
Rhonda worn by No. 13 Elia Rubin:
"My sister, Rhonda, graduated from Stanford University in 1987 with a master's degree in film. She went on to work primarily on documentary films about indigenous American people and one on the U.S. biker subculture. Her career path did not allow for 'traditional' employer health care. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and her treatment options were initially limited. Her options improved with the Affordable Care Act. She went on to fight breast cancer for 15 years before passing away from it. Through documentary film, her life was dedicated to telling the stories of those that would not have otherwise had their story told." - Rod Richards
R Agbuya worn by No. 14 Malyssa Cawa:
"A retired nurse at Stanford Hospital and a mother of 4, my mom Rizalina, was diagnosed with breast cancer 27 years ago. After chemotherapy and a mastectomy, she lived another 20 years watching 9 grandchildren grow up and traveling the world with her husband of 59 years. Her love for her family and her strong will saw her through the very tough times, and she cherished the remaining years of her life. Passing away in February 2020, we remember her for being a loving, generous, and deeply spiritual person. We miss her everyday and are forever grateful for the care she received." - Porferio Agbuya
Cameron worn by No. 15 Ipar Kurt:
"My name is Jennifer Sheu, and I am submitting this entry of my diagnosis for my daughter, Cameron. I was diagnosed last year when she was 12 years old, during her first year playing club volleyball. Stanford is her favorite team. The first questions she asked me when I shared the news (right before my surgery) was, “are you ok? & will I get it too?”. Those 2 questions really resonated with me because I realized she was feeling fear. As I continued with my recovery, I decided to be open whenever she was comfortable asking. And I also decided to show her that she is not alone in being affected by cancer. Our family did our first Walk For Hope this year, with City of Hope. And being on the cancer hospital campus helped her see that it’s not some scary place that I go to often, but a beautiful place where helpful doctors & staff do their very best. She sees that I have a pink-sisters group of friends who meet for dinner and share openly about our hurdles & celebrate our successes. I plan to continue to find ways to show her that she doesn’t need to be afraid and she is not alone. And no matter what happens in the future, I want her to remember that." - Jennifer Sheu
Family worn by No. 17 Sami Francis:
"It had been a year since I recovered from leukemia when we learned that my mom was having breast cancer. The one who supported and took care of me for two years in the hospital beds, surgery rooms, middle of the night scans, fevers’ and pains were about to go through similar conditions. But I was not able to do much for her at the time as a child while she sacrificed so much as a mom for me. Even her cancer could be the result of the suffering she had while looking after me. I was struggling to make sense of the situation and how our life could look like through upcoming process. Since she is a mother who is always strong, everything worked out through the surgery and radiotherapy treatment. Throughout the whole time, she tried to make it as a normal thing that can happen to anybody and keep us motivated because she was still thinking happiness for her children more than herself. And all I could do was to be with her as a proof for recovery from cancer which she witnessed every second of it. With this opportunity, I want to give her a gift while her birthday was approaching to show the bond we have with each other and how I see her as a role model to be hopeful and strong at any circumstances in this life. That’s why I considered to suggest printing “Like Mother Like Son” at the back of the jersey. However, we were not alone during our journeys. There were my sister and father always at our sides supporting us. My sister was the one who gave me the bone marrow for transplantation. We share the same blood now. And my father was rushing to meet everything we need in and out of the hospital both in my and my mother’s case. So, I did not want to leave them out of this memento. The word family will remind us and others that this illness is not a standalone journey but a family business to deal with it together. When united around hope and love as a family, it becomes much easier to overcome any negativity." - Ihsan Uyan
K Laurence worn by Charity McDowell:
"In 2015 my mom, Kristen, was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. She was a single mother to 4 daughters, I was 4 while the others were teenagers. For a year she battled breast cancer and went through many rounds of chemo. She would always tell me, 'I'm going to be very sick because of the bad medicine'. She always tried her best to make it all seem normal to me. I struggled a lot because I needed her and she couldn’t be there with me plus she slept in the living room which was really hard for me because I slept with her most nights. My family, especially my aunt, had to take care of me and our family for a year because my mom couldn’t work and couldn’t care for us. She lost all her hair and then developed skin cancer on her nose which added to the stress. But nonetheless she persevered and kicked cancer's butt and has been cancer free for 7 years. My mom is my biggest inspiration for how hard she fought for her, my 3 sisters and me. My mom coached me in volleyball for years and really helped me to grow to love the sport. She is also a huge fan of Stanford and loves watching volleyball on tv. My mom is the most loving, caring, selfless and the strongest woman I know. This tribute would be an honor to recognize her fight." - Gianna Laurence
Anderson worn by No. 21 Julia Blyashov:
"My younger sister, Carol Anderson, is a 17-year breast cancer survivor, after having a double mastectomy to survive the disease. I constantly contend that my little sister was the best athlete (Softball and Volleyball) in the Anderson Family. I would love to honor her "Championship" spirit as a former athlete and cancer survivor, with a jersey!" - William Anderson
Warriors worn by No. 30 Taylor Yu:
"My wife developed breast cancer during the first year we were married (1978) and had a modified radical mastectomy followed by 12 cycles of monthly chemotherapy. In the early 1990's her other breast developed a separate breast cancer and she again underwent a modified radical mastectomy and 6 cycles of chemotherapy. After the first round of chemotherapy, we were told we could not have children because of either the sterilization effect of the chemo or that the increased estrogen would cause another cancer. After 5 years cancer free, doctors told us the research now indicated we could have children. During the course of the next years, we had Britta (now age 40) and Mallory (age 34). Unfortunately, my wife developed ovarian cancer in 2010 when they then discovered it was a genetic disease. Both of my daughters were tested and both had the BRCA1 gene. They followed each other on the same day at the Stanford medical center for prophylactic mastectomies and reconstructive surgery. My oldest daughter has had a prophylactic hysterectomy. My youngest daughter delivered 5 adorable children and plans to have her prophylactic hysterectomy next year. Sadly, my wife passed in 2016 after fighting ovarian cancer and its effects. That's why my daughters are warriors!!!" - Michael iltis