The Aileen Marie Alvarez Scholarship

A smiling woman with long, curly hair in black and white.

“Aileen Alvarez, was the co-founder of Shay’s Warriors Life After Cancer, Aileen was the heartbeat of our organization. Her unwavering warmth, strength, and remarkable talent for writing not only helped shape our programs but also secured vital grants for our survivorship retreats—supporting countless survivors since 2018.

It is in this spirit that we proudly unveil the Aileen Marie Alvarez Scholarship, an initiative that carries her light forward—fitting, as the meaning of Aileen’s name itself is light. This scholarship will ensure that any woman who has faced breast cancer or is living with it, and who serves in a law enforcement field, will be granted a place at our survivors’ retreat at no cost. This is our gift, a realization of the vision we shared—that every breast cancer survivor should have access to the healing and support they deserve.” -Shay Moraga

Aileen’s friendship with Shay grew into a purpose-driven partnership that ignited a community of connection and hope. Her unwavering dedication to our Talk Listen Share programming, grant team, and the I AM HOPE Survivors Reset Retreat has left an indelible mark—a legacy of compassion, strength, and resilience.

In honor of Shay’s Warriors Co-Founder, Aileen Marie Alvarez, this scholarship continues her profound impact by supporting women working in a law enforcement field who have faced breast cancer. Whether they have completed active treatment or are living with breast cancer, this scholarship will provide them with full funding to attend the annual I AM HOPE Survivors Reset Retreat—a transformative 4-day, 3-night experience. Here, survivors come together in a safe and supportive space to embrace life after cancer, focusing on healing, self-care, love, and acceptance alongside others who share their journey.

Through these scholarships, her beautiful daughters, our friendships, and the work we continue each day, we will forever honor Aileen’s legacy—carrying forward her spirit of hope and connection in all that we do. Until we meet again.

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Two women smiling at a breast cancer awareness event. One is in the foreground and the other in the background, standing next to a large informational sign for Shay's Warriors, a cancer survivor support organization. The background shows balloons and
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Two women taking a selfie at a social gathering. The woman in the foreground has black hair, is smiling, and wearing a green top. The woman behind her has long wavy brown hair, is smiling softly, and wearing a white top and a necklace with a cross pe
Two women dressed in colorful winter clothing are smiling and posing next to a casino chip dispensing robot at an indoor event.
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Three people, a woman and two young girls, are posing with birthday party props and wearing paper crowns. The woman is wearing a blue crown and holding a red clown nose on a stick, with a pink feather boa. The girl on the left is wearing a purple cro
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Woman wearing dark sunglasses and a black cap with white text that reads "shay's warriors life after cancer," sitting inside a vehicle.
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Two women standing in front of a black backdrop with pink breast cancer awareness ribbons and the words 'Bighorn BAM Behind a Miracle'. They are smiling, with the woman on the left wearing a denim jacket, pink shirt, and long cream skirt, and the wom
Two women taking a selfie outdoors. One woman wears sunglasses and a black jacket with a pink shirt. The other woman wears a black baseball cap with the words 'Shay's Warriors life after cancer' and a pink top. There are pink and white flowers in the
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A woman is speaking into a microphone at an indoor gathering. She is standing near a pink and white poster board with text and images, in what appears to be a brewery or industrial venue. Several people are seated at tables in the foreground, with on
Group of nine women standing and sitting together in a fitness studio. They are smiling, wearing workout clothes, and the background has large letters spelling 'GASX' and a water cooler.
Group of nine people smiling at a gathering, standing outdoors in front of large windows and trees, with some holding a framed embroidery and others wearing colorful shirts and casual clothing.
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Four women standing outdoors on a sunny day, smiling and posing for a photo. They are wearing sunglasses and casual summer clothing, with two of them wearing shirts that say ‘Shay’s Warring’. One woman holds a black box, and there are palm trees and
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Three women smiling for a selfie outdoors, wearing sunglasses and casual clothing, with one woman wearing a black cap that reads 'Shay's Warriors' and a woman in a pink shirt holding a water bottle.
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Three women standing closely together inside a living room, smiling, with a small dog peeking out from behind the woman in the center. The room has beige walls, a window with black trim, a potted plant, a white sofa with pillows, and artwork on the w
Three women and a dog sitting on a couch celebrating a birthday. One woman holds a pink card, and there is an open gift box with colorful tissue paper in front of them.
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Three women dressed in retro 1920s-style flapper dresses standing in front of a backdrop celebrating the 30th anniversary of the American Cancer Society.
Two women standing in front of a tribute display with a torch and a memorial banner for Shay, a survivor. One woman is wearing a gray top, and the other is wearing a red plaid shirt. They are smiling. There is a sculpture of a bust on a pedestal in t
Founder Shay Moraga and Co-Founder Aileen Alverez of Shay's Warriors kissing each other on the cheeks during a breast cancer awareness event. Both celebrating cancer survivorship at the Pink Walk in Palm Desert, CA,
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