A beloved police officer and soccer player who was battling stage 4 lung cancer died Friday.

Julia Caseres, 28, was an officer with the Piscataway Police Department for about three years. She was diagnosed with lung cancer 14 months ago.

Caseres graduated from New Jersey City University and scored 100 goals between her time at the university and her freshman year at Rutgers-Newark. She grew up in Union and later moved to Clinton.

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Last December, just eight months into her diagnosis, members of the Piscataway Police Department held an impromptu Christmas carol session for Caseres just outside her home.

The department wrote on their Facebook page in part, "In the few short years Julia was with us she impacted so many. Her beautiful smile and bubbly personality will surely be missed. Rest in peace sister."

Funeral services will be held Wednesday at the Galante Funeral Home in Union followed by a mass at Holy Spirit Church.