"It's about the next 10 years. Now is the time for me to work on what could be the future."
 
Cal women's golf head coach Nancy McDaniel was diagnosed with breast cancer in August, 2015. After a tough period undergoing radiation and therapies, McDaniel is back to coaching and living her life. She isn't focused just on her own battle, but that of all women fighting the disease.
 
"Since I was diagnosed, I feel like I have a responsibility to turn around and help make things better for the future," McDaniel said. "I feel really fortunate to have the therapies that I am on; to continue living a healthy life where I can be a mom, wife and a coach and do it in the same manner I've always done it."
 
Part of McDaniel's passion for finding a cure comes from the loss she's seen first-hand.
  Maureen Cortopassi is one of McDaniel's closest friends. They grew up together, went to school together and played sports together. Being around Maureen's family, McDaniel got to know and looked up to Maureen's older sister, Carol Bluhm.
 
"Nancy and I idolized her work ethic and how she took the bull by the horns and tried to do her best at all times," Cortopassi said. "She was a very smart, talented person, but she was also very caring and had this will to fight whatever life through at her."
 
Four years ago, Bluhm passed away at the age of 52 after a battle with breast cancer. McDaniel was diagnosed the following year.
 
"Carol wouldn't sit tight," McDaniel said. "She would do something. Her passing helped me realize how important finding a cure is. If they had the therapies that they have now, 10 years ago, she may be alive. That started it in my mind. It's about the next 10 years and my daughter's group of young women."
 
As part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, McDaniel hosted Teach 4 the Cure on October 28, where she volunteered golf lessons at the Bears' facility at Oakland Metropolitan Links in exchange for donations for breast cancer research.
 
"I just felt like the golf was really natural; my husband Jay and I both love to teach, and Bev (assistant coach Beverly Vatananugulkit) is getting into teaching," McDaniel said. "We didn't want to just give funds to find a cure, but encourage others to as well."
 
The turnout for the event was so great that Vatananugulkit's college teammate and LPGA teaching professional Amy Simonton was brought in to help handle the overflow. The four coaches were at the course from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
 
"My husband, my son and I want to support everyone that is going through breast cancer, but especially Nancy," Cortopassi said. "She works really hard at everything she does. She's a good voice and a role model. I hope her story inspires other women to keep up the fight and work together to try to cure this disease."
 
The day before the event, McDaniel was honored as a survivor on the field of the Cal football game vs. Washington. Before the game, she met the family of Berkeley native Daphanie Kennedy, who lost her battle with breast cancer last month at the age of 32.
 
"That drives me more," McDaniel said. "I want to get after it in a competitive way; to make sure these things aren't happening to people's kids."

 
Participants at Teach 4 the Cure wrote the name of a loved one who has dealt with breast cancer on a board.
 
"A bunch of the participants put coach's name on the board," senior Marianne Li said. "It was inspiring to see how many lives she's touched, that all these people wanted to support her." 
 
"It was an eye-opener just knowing this is just some of the many people who have been affected by breast cancer," Vatananugulkit said. "The strength that all these people have is really inspiring."
 
McDaniel is determined to fight and help others fight.
 
"This was the first step in doing something," McDaniel said. "I'm happy I made the first step, but I'm not the kind of person that is going to stop with the first step."
 
The first step raised over $5,000 in donations, but McDaniel is already thinking of ways to make it even bigger next year.
 
"I know we're doing this again next year and I would love for there to be an opportunity for other sports to do it as well," McDaniel said. "I'd also like to spread the word to others in the women's golf community to see if they would be interested. This is just the beginning of something that could be really great."
 
Donations for a cure can be made to the Breast Cancer Research Fund at www.bcrf.org. After donating, please e-mail Nancy McDaniel at nmcdan@berkeley.edu so she can track the donations from Teach 4 The Cure.