Honorary Bat Girl spreads positivity, support

It was Halloween of 2019 when Dustin and Meghann Morse heard that big word: Cancer.

The odds were good because they caught it early via mammogram, but since Meghann had been an otherwise healthy 41-year-old at the time, nothing could have prepared them for that moment shared by so many families around the U.S. and the world, year after year.

"That was kind of a day with, you know, you get that shocking news, and you come home and take the kids trick or treating," Meghann Morse said.

Four surgeries and nearly two years later, Meghann is cancer-free and just thrilled to be able to get back on her exercise bike and continue with the workout routines that give her so much energy. And in recognition of that battle, the Twins surprised Meghann and husband Dustin, the Twins' longtime senior director of communications, by naming her the club's 2021 Honorary Bat Girl as part of MLB's annual "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative.

"We’re honored to have Meghann represent the Twins as our Honorary Bat Girl, and to join the Morse family and all of Major League Baseball in the fight against breast cancer,” said director of community relations Kristin Rortvedt in a statement. "Sadly, so many in the world continue to be affected by breast cancer, either personally or via a friend, family member or loved one -- and our extended Twins family is no different. We are incredibly grateful that Meghann is now cancer-free, and we hope that her story -- and those of everyone honored by MLB -- provides inspiration and support."

The Morse family will be honored on the field before the Twins' home game on Friday against Oakland. And though Meghann described herself several times as a mostly "private" person, she's using this opportunity and platform to raise awareness for preventative care, to ensure that the one in eight U.S. women who develop breast cancer during their lifetimes are prepared to identify and meet the challenge -- as she did.

"I just want to encourage everyone, you know, even if you're young and healthy, just to go make that appointment as soon as you can, and get the mammogram," Meghann said. "It's not a super fun appointment, but it's literally like two minutes long. And it can detect breast cancer at such an early stage."

One thing that the Morse family quickly found through their battle was that they weren't alone. At first, they felt they could handle things themselves -- that they didn't necessarily want to go out of their way to seek and accept help.

But as word trickled out, they immediately learned that there's a wide community out there that has experienced these challenges firsthand -- from others in Dustin's workplace with the Twins, to those in their inner circle, to family and friends that could not only sympathize and help, but also identify with these struggles stemming from a disease that touches so many.

"A lot of people reached out and would open up about their sister or their aunt or their cousin or themselves or something that a woman had 20 years ago," said Dustin, who has worked in public relations for the Twins since 2006. "We just looked at each other, and I remember [Meghann] said, 'I'm not alone in this, but everybody's situation is so unique and so different.'"

Meghann remained relentlessly positive throughout her fight as the family endured what they first thought would be one surgery that quickly became four, while Dustin continued his busy schedule with the Twins and Meghann took a break from her job at Starkey Hearing Technologies.

They also know that, depending on the circumstances, it's not always that easy for others in their position. It wasn't at times for them, either.

"There was a day where it was a pretty dark day in our family where, 'Why did this happen now?'" Dustin said. "You trust the process and just know that it's not always a perfect start to finish. But the key is to stay positive, stay supportive and just keep going and keep that positive energy going. That was our story."

Everybody's journey is different -- but by highlighting Meghann's journey as part of this Mother's Day and MLB's annual initiative, the Morse family wants to be part of the reminder that those going through this battle aren't alone, that a robust support system exists out there, and that regular screenings can help women around the world.

"My main thing, even still, to this day, is telling everybody, 'Go get that mammogram,'" Meghann said. "So if I tell 20 people, and then they tell 20 people, and then they tell 20 people, it's like, you know, everybody just needs to go and make that appointment and get that done."

Arraez ramping up, could return Tuesday
Luis Arraez has recovered well from the concussion that sidelined him following last Monday's game against the Rangers and could be on track to return in time for Tuesday's series opener against the White Sox, which will mark his first day eligible for activation from the seven-day concussion injured list.

He participated in light baseball activity on Saturday and was expected to progress to swinging on Sunday or Monday, weather permitting, before the Twins-Tigers series finale was rained out.

"Now I feel great," Arraez said. "But a couple days ago, I felt really bad. A lot of headaches, dizzy."