"I know your mom is really proud of you."

One of the 60 breast cancer survivors present at Bears Care's Season Opener luncheon at Halas Hall last Friday shared that sentiment with Bears defensive end Darrell Taylor just 10 minutes after meeting him.

Taylor lost his mother to breast cancer when he was 16 years old and has been sharing her story to raise awareness for years. Just under a month into his tenure in Chicago — he was acquired via trade Aug. 23 — Taylor wanted to make an impact in his new home city. He spoke during the luncheon that was hosted by Bears Care, the team's charitable arm, to kick off the annual Real Bears Fans Wear Pink campaign.

"I'm very excited to be here because this is something I'm passionate about," Taylor told the group of survivors. "My mom passed away to breast cancer when I was 16 so it's something that touched my heart very deeply. Just being here with you women is very important to me."

Taylor told the survivors — who represented 12 organizations that support breast cancer awareness across Chicagoland — about his mother's two battles with cancer while he was a freshman and sophomore in high school. He recalled how he and his older sister would take "shifts" helping their mother like it was a job.

"Going through that process was really, really tough just doing all that stuff as a kid, helping take care of your mom and pretty much being the man of the house," Taylor shared. "I think what she instilled in me from that is just being a very resilient person because I've never seen anybody go through anything like that, beat it and then come back again.

"I loved my mom to death and I obviously still love her to this day and everything she's done for me. All of the wisdom and knowledge that she had put in me, I can't thank her enough for it."

After his mother passed four months into his sophomore year of high school, Taylor said he learned the value of leaning on friends and family. He remembered coming back to school and having endless offers of support from friends, teachers, teammates and staff that were helpful in dealing with his grief.

Taylor expressed his joy for being able to honor his mother and add to the group of survivors' support system.

"I'm just so thankful I'm here with you all today to share my story because I know it can touch you, and just being here with you is able to touch me," Taylor said. "I'm happy to see all these faces today because I wish my mom was here to sit with you all and give her story. It didn't happen that way, but I'm still thankful that God has me here representing her every day."

While Taylor wrapped up the luncheon, the event was opened by Bears Care board member Barb McCaskey, wife of chairman George H. McCaskey. She expressed her gratitude for the survivors' attendance and strength to share their stories. She also shared that through 16 years of the Real Bears Fans Wear Pink campaign, over $2 million has been distributed to partner groups.

The group of survivors also heard from Advocate Health Care's Rachel Baer, MD, and Cari Rogers, co-founder of Tribe – A Healing Arts Community, which specializes in holistic healthcare. Baer recognized two of her patients who she brought to the event for their courage and spoke to the group about efforts at Advocate Health Care's Sherman Hospital in Elgin to provide needed support to underserved women facing a breast cancer diagnosis.

For the second consecutive year, Bears President & CEO Kevin Warren attended the luncheon to share the story of his late sister Carolyn's battle with cancer. During Carolyn's final moments with Warren and his wife, Greta, in 2014, she asked them to "do what you can to make [children's] lives easier."

Carolyn's wish led to the Warrens creating Carolyn's Comforts Fund, a children's cancer emergency assistance program at M Health Fairview Masonic Children's Hospital in Minneapolis.

In his remarks, Warren's one ask to the survivors was to "tell your story" to help make an impact and support others who are going through similar challenges.

The personal stories from Taylor and Warren reminded survivors like Chicago native Chantell Windham of the support that helped guide her through her journey with breast cancer.

Windham, a diehard Bears fan, was diagnosed in 2017 while working as a schoolteacher for Chicago Public Schools. Shortly after receiving the news, she discovered Bears Care and sent the organization an email asking if they could provide any support to her students while she was out on leave.

During her treatments, Windham watched Bears games to help push her through - likening her fight with breast cancer to the team's fight on Sundays.

"Every treatment before I would get my chemo, I would give a football reference," Windham said. "I would send out on Facebook, 'Hey everybody, Bear Down! I'm getting ready for chemo, so gotta Bear Down.' It's always pushed me through. I was literally fighting for my life, and I felt like I was on that field."

Near the end of her treatment, she heard from Bears Care director Marge Hamm, who then surprised Windham in her classroom with former linebacker Sam Acho, who invited her to a game and kept up with her recovery. During one of her last treatments, Windham received a text from Hamm, which contained pictures from Matt Forte and Devin Hester and a message reading, "Go Chantell, you got this. Bear Down!"

Windham published a book titled "I Had Cancer, Cancer Never Had Me" in 2022 to celebrate her battle with cancer and even included acknowledgements for Acho and the Bears.

"It means a lot that the Bears truly care, not just about the sport, but they care about the people," Windham said. "They really are an influence to push us along. It means a lot. You need support from your village and to know that the Bears are a part of that village, oh my goodness, it just feels great. I feel like a Chicago Bear here. I'm that extra Bear and we support each other."

To support the 17th year of the Real Bears Fans Wear Pink campaign, shirts can be purchased at ChicagoBears.com/Pink. Shirts will also be available for purchase during the Bears' next two games at Soldier Field Sept. 29 and Oct. 6.

The Bears and Bears Care will officially recognize National Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the team's Crucial Catch game Oct. 6 against the Carolina Panthers. Proceeds from sales of the Real Bears Fans Wear Pink shirts benefit Bears Care.