Courage to Overcome, Love to Heal

The Danielle Lopez Fight Hard Love Harder Foundation is dedicated Helping students who have lost a parent

 

Who is Danielle Lopez?

 

Though Danielle had several roles, her number one answer to asking who she really was would be, “I’m a mom of three.” Danielle was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a hard worker, but most of all, a mother. 

 

Her joy came from raising her kids alongside her husband, Mike Lopez, and most time was spent getting involved in their children’s extracurriculars. Not one match, game, or competition was missed as Mike and Danielle supported their children’s passions immensely. As a family, we spent every weekend at wrestling tournaments to support the youngest, Michael.

 

Danielle spent the majority of her children’s lives in and out of the hospital due to cancer scares, preventative procedures, and constant scans and check-ups. At the end of 2014 is when this long journey began. Though she was never diagnosed with breast cancer, having had a breast cancer scare, she went through several surgeries and procedures of removal to prevent it from ever actually happening. Eventually in 2021, she made the decision to get a double mastectomy. Just as soon as we thought the worries were gone, a new problem arose in her uterus. She was quick to decide to proceed with a hysterectomy but shortly after the procedure, Danielle was diagnosed with Leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer that grows in smooth muscle tissue. She had options of treatment plans and the route she took was immunotherapy clinical trials. Danielle was one to think of others before herself which is why she always wanted to participate in the clinical trials. “If it’s going to help another person, why not?” She always said. Even in the midst of treatments, Danielle was still there on road trips and taking flights with Mike and Michael for national tournaments until she couldn’t anymore.

 

As often as this phrase is used, Danielle was truly the glue to the family. She was the one who molded us together. While we love unconditionally in ours, she often called our family dysfunctional as no family is perfect. She would always say, “We fight hard, but we love harder,” and she stuck to that phrase even throughout her fight with cancer. She fought hard, but loved everyone around her harder. Her positivity despite all the physical and emotional pain she endured was an inspiration and we are at peace knowing that she fought her fight, not only for herself, but for others as well going through similar struggles.

 

 

Our Purpose

 

Extra curricular activities mold students’ productivity early on and provide them with essential skills useful in both their professional and personal lives such as leadership, teamwork, and time management. It takes a lot of patience and discipline, but getting involved in such activities and sports are more beneficial than not while it supplies children with an outlet to destress and even figure out a balance all the while building long-lasting friendships and memories. 

 

We are on a mission to ensure no student gets left without the opportunity to continue building these memories and pursuing their passion after the loss of a parent. After Danielle passed, we learned that it’s difficult enough as it is to have lost your number one fan, but we also have encountered the financial struggle of acquiring the money for wrestling fees, trips, and equipment. While on our mission to relieve families’ financial burden, we want to honor Danielle as this foundation was built in order to continue her motive to help others.