ST. LOUIS -- Linda Duaime is the winner of the 2016 Honorary Bat Girl Contest for the Phillies.
The contest recognizes baseball fans who have been affected by breast cancer and who demonstrate a commitment to supporting the fight against the disease. Duaime was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in August of 2014.
Duaime's treatment started in September 2014 and included two types of chemotherapy as well as radiation, ending in late Spring 2015.
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She's been positive throughout her fight, even when two bouts with blood clots pushed back her final surgery. Duaime's diagnosis has influenced others to be checked and a breast cancer fundraiser in her honor raised enough money so she could donate back to her surgeon's support foundation for other breast cancer patients.
The Honorary Bat Girl program was introduced in 2009 to raise additional awareness and support for the annual "Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer" initiative celebrated on Mother's Day. Going to Bat Against Breast Cancer is a Major League Baseball initiative supported by MLB charitable partners, Stand Up To Cancer and Susan G. Komen. This initiative raises awareness about the breast cancer cause, while also raising funds to support breast cancer research.