Salute to my Mom

October is the month of ghouls, goblins, witches and wizards. It’s the month of candy and costumes, and the month to scare or be scared. However, last year, about this same time, my family received a scare, and not one of the Halloween type. This scare was real. It was life and death. Unfortunately, it’s a scare that roughly 13% of women in the United States and their families will face in a lifetime.

You see, about a year ago, my mom was one of the estimated 207,090 women diagnosed with breast cancer. With that news, suddenly, the month of October became about survival. Thankfully, when it comes to survival, my mother is always up to the task.

I remember the weeks following her diagnosis and the questions that followed. Is my mom going to lose her hair, is she going to get sick, is it in the lymph nodes and yes, is she going to survive? I wasn't prepared to answer those questions and I wasn’t prepared to explain to my then six year old son what the word ‘cancer’ meant. Frankly, in my narrow minded thinking, cancer was always something that happened to other people.

One thing I didn’t question though was if my mom was going to fight. I had no doubt that she was going to fight and over the last 12 months, she has not disappointed. Yes, she’s lost her hair and yes, she’s gotten sick. She’s missed work, but honestly, she’s been to work more than she’s missed. She got a couple of great wigs, and a few ugly ones too. Most importantly, she never lost her always authentic smile. She has handled this with the grace, strength and faith that only my mom can.

Now, her fight isn’t over. While she’s finished with chemo treatments, she’s still going through some experimental treatment options. Other minor aches, pains and things not quite right with the body are now scrutinized a little closer by her doctors. She still gets tired quickly but her hair is growing back, albeit a little curlier and a different color.

Mom still has a long road ahead of her, but she does so with the unwavering love and support of her family and many dedicated friends here in Tennessee and Missouri. She has also had unbelievable support and encouragement from her employer, Armstrong Relocation. I can’t say enough wonderful things about Armstrong Relocation and the unbelievable grace and compassion they have shown to my mom. They are truly good and wonderful people.

I’ve learned a lot over the last year. Frankly, I’ve learned more about my mom’s breast than I ever care to know. I’ve also learned that while pink may be a feminine color, it represents survival, grit, determination and strength. It represents the 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. Thankfully, my mom is joining the ranks of the survivors.

So now October for this family is no longer about Halloween. For my family and millions of other families across the country, this month is about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I’m proud of my mom and I admire her for her strength and unwavering faith that she is showing during her fight. I salute not only my mom, but all of the women who have been diagnosed, fought, won or are still fighting breast cancer. You are all heroes.