Before the Chicago Bears snagged their big overtime win against the Green Bay Packers Saturday night, a Crystal Lake resident and cancer survivor took the field as a special guest during the pregame flag ceremony.

Kendall Albright, a patient at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital near Barrington, took the honors in unfurling the giant flag at Solider Field during the Bear Down Flag Ceremony. After the flag ceremony, Albright and her husband were able to watch the game from the stands and see the dramatic Bears 22-16 win.

Just two weeks after her wedding last year, Albright discovered a lump while showering. She was diagnosed with Stage 3 triple-negative breast cancer after a mammogram and biopsy. The form is considered “aggressive with no genetic link,” according to an Advocate Healthcare news release.

At 30 years old, Albright’s sudden diagnosis was a shock.

“I thought age was on my side,” she said in the release.

Albright came to Good Shepherd on the recommendation of a friend and soon began treatment that included 16 rounds of chemotherapy under hematologist and oncologist Dr. Sandeep Chunduri.

In May, Albright underwent a double mastectomy performed by surgeon Dr. Barry Rosen, followed by radiation treatment. Albright is now doing immunotherapy, which is expected to be completed next month.

Albright and her husband had to make difficult decisions early on, including freezing embryos before starting chemotherapy.

“Instead of planning a honeymoon, we were having tough conversations and planning for a future we never expected,” she said. “Our first year of marriage wasn’t what we imagined, but it brought us closer than ever. We learned what truly matters in life.”

Recurrence risk is at its highest for the next three years, and Albright will continued to be “closely monitored” by the hospital, Advocate Healthcare officials said in the release.

During treatment, Albright continued working as a project coordinator, only taking time off for surgery and infusion days, according to the release. She credits her husband and the Advocate care team for helping her through the months-long treatment.

“Kendall faced an aggressive cancer, but her treatment response was exactly as we’d hoped,” Chunduri said in the release. “Her positive attitude, support from her husband and confidence in her care team were important factors to her success.”

One year later, Albright celebrates being cancer-free. She advises anyone with cancer to “act early and lean on support,” she said in the release.

“If you’ve just been diagnosed, know that every emotion you feel is valid,” she said. “Take it one day at a time – the only way forward is through.”