Two Elgin women treated for breast cancer were among those celebrated Sunday at the Chicago Bears-Carolina Panthers game at Soldier Field.
The “Crucial Catch” game was one of many with that name being played in the NFL during October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. They are meant to raise awareness of the disease, which one in eight women will develop during their lifetime, promote early detection, and honor those who are fighting or have survived it, according to the Crucial Catch website, crucialcatch.cancer.org.
Elgin residents Carmen Rojas, 44, and Bobbie Jackson, 75, were both treated at at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin and invited to participate in the event.
Rojas was 16 weeks pregnant with her son when she spotted a lump on her breast. It was diagnosed as breast cancer just two weeks later, according to a news release.
She underwent chemotherapy and cancer treatment, but could not take pain medications because of her pregnancy.
Her son was delivered healthy and is now 4 years old, and she recently hit the five-year cancer-free mark, the release said.
Jackson was diagnosed with breast cancer twice, first in 2018 and again in 2022.
The first time around was devastating, but manageable thanks to her family’s support, she said. When she received the devastating news a second time, however, it was much tougher because her son had died less than a year earlier.
“It was hell,” Jackson said.
She’s been diligent about checkups since then, and is hopeful she’ll cancer-free and able to get the port removed soon, according to the release.
Jackon, Rojas, eight other patients, their families and caregivers took to the field before the game Sunday to watch as Dr. Neil Dalal, a hematologist and oncologist at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital in Downers Grove, presented the game coin. During halftime, a special bell-ringing ceremony was held for two other cancer survivors who recently completed their treatments.
Jackson also attended a special event at Halas Hall in Lake Forest on the Friday before the game. At the Bears’ practice facility, she watched the team practice and was presented with a practice jersey by Bears tight end Marcedes Lewis, the release said.
Mike Danahey is a freelance reporter for The Courier-News.
