CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Julie Everett was not about to let a breast cancer diagnosis in August 2011 stop her from attending the Cleveland Indians' home opener the following season, or any season after that.

"I haven't missed one in 25 years, nor would I," Everett said. "Sleet, snow, rain -- whatever comes my way, I'm sitting through it. And I've been through all of it."

Dedication like that, and Everett's outspoken advocacy for other women facing their own battles with breast cancer, led to Major League Baseball selecting her as the Indians' Honorary Bat Girl for 2017. Everett, a Newbury, Ohio, resident, will be on the field for the ceremonial first pitch before Sunday's Indians vs. Twins game at Progressive Field.

MLB's Honorary Bat Girl program has recognized one breast cancer survivor per team on Mother's Day since 2009. Honorees are selected based on their personal connection to breast cancer and their demonstrated commitment to battling the disease. Winners receive game tickets and MLB pink-ribbon merchandise, including an engraved Louisville Slugger bat.

The reward is especially satisfying for Everett, who endured a double mastectomy, multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation six years ago. Surgeries to remove her thyroid, cervix, uterus and ovaries followed.

After her initial treatment, Everett became a champion for other breast cancer patients. She advocated for the AreYouDense organization, which lobbies to require doctors to notify a patient if they have dense breast tissue and offer further testing.

"I could remain silent, but I choose to put myself out there because I need to end this madness for my sister and my nieces and my daughter and my granddaughter," Everett said. "We just have to find a cure."

Everett, who had three family members lose their own cancer battles before the age of 58, has helped to organize a $3,000 fundraiser for the Stefanie Spielman Fund, and continues to counsel friends and strangers who are dealing with breast cancer.

"I do this in memory of them, and I really feel like they're still with me, pushing me through this," Everett said. "I have lived longer than any of them did after their diagnosis. We're making progress, but we have a long way to go."

Everett said she wants all Indians bat girl nominees to know how honored she is to stand among them. But that won't make Sunday's first pitch any less nerve-wrecking. She had surgery two weeks ago to remove the implants she received after her mastectomy because her body reacted negatively to them, all these years later.

Everett's husband, Bill, who nominated her for the award, will stand by her side and deliver Sunday's first pitch. Everett says it's appropriate, because Bill "has been by my side through all of this and has been my caregiver."

Everett says she will continue to push for breast cancer screening, research and awareness until the disease is eradicated. She said her recent surgery will likely lead her to advocate for educating women about what implants can do, and the kinds of complications they can cause.

"Nothing's going to change if I sit quiet," she said. "We have voices and we have to make sure we educate and put ourselves out there to educate women about all different things like dense breast tissue and proper screening and breast self examination and a million other things."