EAGAN, Minn. — Courtney Nelson never expected to battle cancer.

She especially never anticipated the unnerving diagnosis at just 29 years old.

But that's exactly what happened last year, when Courtney was "thrown for a loop" upon hearing she had breast cancer.

"It was just crazy," Courtney said, tucking a piece of brunette pixie cut behind her ear.

Despite the initial shock and anxiety, Courtney faced the diagnosis head-on, residing at the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Rochester and undergoing 16 rounds of chemotherapy, immunotherapy and a lumpectomy at Mayo Clinic.

"Pretty much everything you could think of, I had done," she said. "But I'm currently cancer-free and in remission, so I'm hoping it stays that way."

Courtney's cancer journey ignited a passion to support others walking a similar path; she's been a strong advocate and volunteer for American Cancer Society, participating in the Relay for Life, and regularly encourages anyone she meets to pay close attention to their health and learn about screenings they're eligible for.

"I just fell in love with the Relay for Life event, the idea of raising money for cancer awareness and research, all of it," Courtney said. "I knew that's what I had to do, to try to help people like me who had gone through [similar things], to help with the future of finding a cure for cancer."

It's why Courtney was deeply honored to be invited by Vikings fullback C.J. Ham and his wife Stephanie, along with the Vikings and Sleep Number, to their annual "Pamper Her Purple" event, where Courtney spent the day connecting with other women who have — or are currently — battling cancer.

Ten guests of honor, ranging in age from 9 to 86, were welcomed to the Omni Viking Lakes Hotel, where they enjoyed a full day of pampering at Idlewild Spa, a special craft opportunity, gifting from Sleep Number and a cocktail hour and dinner reception with C.J. and Steph.

"It's beautiful to bring everybody in this room and to see all these faces," C.J. told the group. "It's a special, special event for my family and I, and I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being here. I hope today you all felt loved, that you felt taken care of."

C.J. spoke from his heart, sharing about his mother Tina and her 14-month battle with pancreatic cancer before passing away in 2021. He told the women and their guests how much Tina enjoyed opportunities to have her hair or nails done, or to get a massage, which is what inspired the Pamper Her Purple event.

C.J. also shared about the Christian faith he and his mom shared.

"I don't know where everybody is in their faith and in their journey, but my faith is a huge part of my life," he said. "So, it's really hard for me to say my mother lost her battle with cancer, because if you believe what I believe, at the end of the day … we want to be with the Creator of the universe — I'm wso now she is where is supposed to be.

"She has gained so much more now than she ever would have gained on this earth," C.J. added. "So I can have joy in that. I can rest in that. And now I can be here and try to share that same love she had for so many people."

An emotional Courtney listened intention to C.J.'s story, nodding along in affirmation as he told the room about Tina.

"I'm so incredibly grateful that I get to be a part of this," Courtney later said.

Her thoughts were echoed by 9-year-old Camilla and her mother, Lindsey, who smiled as they showed off their matching charm necklaces they'd made together earlier in the day.

As a 10-year Sleep Number employee, Lindsey has always been proud of the company's emphasis on giving back to various organizations and events like Pamper Her Purple. But things really hit home in 2019 when Camilla was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma, a type of brain cancer.

Camilla also underwent treatment at Mayo and courageously beat the disease, having had clear scans ever since.

"Sleep Number was so flexible and understanding, allowing Tony and I to be at treatment with Camilla down in Rochester," Lindsey recalled. "It's a beautiful thing when personal and corporate values intersect like that."

Lindsey called Pamper Her Purple a meaningful day of connection and celebration — both of success stories experienced by attendees and also overall progress continuing to be made in cancer research and treatment.

According to American Cancer Society Vice President Anthony Bass, approximately 5,000 women in Minnesota alone will be diagnosed with breast cancer in a year. And across the country, approximately 2 million people are diagnosed annually with some type of cancer.

"Those are scary numbers," Anthony acknowledged. "But the good number is that since 1991, cancer mortality rates have dropped 31 percent — and that is a win."

The NFL's Crucial Catch initiative, and efforts of Vikings players like C.J., are especially close to the heart of Anthony, who played defensive back for the Vikings in 1998 and 1999.

"It's serendipitous," he said of now working with ACS. "When I played football, Coach Denny Green started Community Tuesdays, and I hadn't ever done anything in the philanthropic space at all."

Anthony found himself greatly impacted by the give-back work, however, and drawn to a career in that space following retirement from the gridiron.

"It really started guiding the course of my life," he said. "It gets me up in the morning. It was a smooth transition from the NFL to nonprofit. You use a platform when you're playing, and you continue to stand on that platform once you're done."

Anthony and C.J. recognized the evening's honored guests for their strength and courage and thanked them for being a part of the special day, which was capped by a surprise invitation to attend Sunday's Crucial Catch game against the Eagles.

Cheers erupted from the group as they excitedly accepted giant replica tickets and posed for a group photo with the Hams.

"I know my mom would love to be here with you guys tonight," C.J. said. "So I hope as you mingle together, and as you got to learn more about each other's stories, about each other's experiences, I hope you felt a little extra love for my mom."