A Denver mother will be honored by the Colorado Avalanche during Breast Cancer Awareness Month

A Denver mom shares her journey and the importance of early detection during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Anata Walsh will be recognized as a cancer warrior at the Colorado Avalanche's Hockey Fights Cancer game on Nov. 7.

As an Avs fan, she's watched this game before but never thought she would be standing on the ice with other survivors.

It is very cool and special to get to participate in that. Its kind of emerging of two worlds because the Avs are a big part of our life and our family, and unfortunately, cancer has been a big part of our lives for the past year as well, Walsh said.

Last year, when she was 36 weeks pregnant with her second child, she discovered a lump during a self-check.

She was diagnosed with Stage 2 breast cancer in both breasts, underwent six rounds of chemo, and a surgery at UCHealth.

It was hard going through the treatment. Our son was three at the time, and so we talked to him about cancer and how Mama had cancer, but she was fighting it. We got some books that were helpful and explained it, but it was hard for him, Walsh said.

Meanwhile, her second son was just a newborn during her treatment.

I was very sick, and all my hair fell out, and I had times where I could barely like get off the couch or get out of bed, Walsh said. I think that was one of the things that I struggled with the most with my cancer journey is what it took from me in terms of my ability to show up as a mom.

Walsh was too young for a mammogram at the time she discovered her cancer. She now advocates for self-checks.

Today she is cancer-free but says the recovery has been difficult.

I want to express gratitude to everyone who is part of our support system, and then also just encourage people: its a hard and scary time and nobody wants to hear about a young mom getting diagnosed, but the way that our team rallied around us has just been amazing the past year, Walsh said.

The Colorado Avalanche, UCHealth and the Colorado Eagles partnered up for the Hockey Fights Cancer event.

UCHealth recognizes six patients each year for the honorary starting lineup.