cancer: it’s a dirty, six-letter word.

breast cancer.

up until six years ago, breast cancer was a stranger to me.  well, not necessarily.  i lost an aunt to breast cancer, but she was someone i never really knew because we lived on opposite sides of the globe.  november 2006, however, is when my world changed.

that was when my mother received her diagnosis.  her annual mammogram found a lump in her left breast.  a second scan and a biopsy confirmed that she had breast cancer.  thanksgiving was awkward that year.  awkward because there was this foreign thing inside of my mom’s body that was trying to kill her.  fortunately, my mother had a plan of attack and three days after christmas in 2006 she said farewell to her left breast.  since that day, she has remained cancer-free, yet each and every day since then has been both a blessing and a constant reminder that not only is life precious, but that my mom is a fighter.  she was not going to let breast cancer be a death sentence.  she was fortunate that her cancer was detected early, but WE are all fortunate that my mom paid such close attention to herself and made it a point to get yearly mammograms.

my mom’s cancer scare caused me to be a bit more proactive about my own health.  my parents encouraged me to educate myself about breast cancer.  i attended a genetic counseling session with my mother.  she had had genetic testing done and did not test positive for the gene marker.  i was encouraged to get a baseline mammogram.  i’m a bit ashamed to admit that my baseline mammogram did not happen until three years AFTER my genetic counseling session, but it’s done:  the girls were photographed.  some people thought i was being hasty because i’m only 35 years old.  but, given my family history, i’m glad i did not wait another three years for my first mammogram.

since my mother’s diagnosis, a cousin of mine {who is not much older than i am} was diagnosed with breast cancer.  she had a double mastectomy this past july.  clearly, breast cancer runs in the family.  it may not be my fate, but that’s not a risk i’m willing to gamble on.  breast cancer – or cancer in general – knows no boundaries.

it goes without saying that october is breast cancer awareness month.  whether or not you’ve been impacted by breast cancer, i encourage you to watch the following documentary:

the Ford Warriors in Pink program has been educating and advocating for breast cancer awareness for many, many years.  as you see from the documentary, breast cancer is not just a female issue.  men have breasts, too!

i encourage you to not only do a monthly breast exam, but – if you’ve been touched by cancer – share your story, too.  talking about your experience not only helps to heal, but it also helps to educate others and we will never win the battle against cancer without the proper education.  in addition, supporting research and fundraising efforts that bring awareness to breast cancer are another great way to help out.  this holiday season, you should definitely consider picking up a few things from the Ford Warriors in Pink store {100% of the net proceeds go to supporting breast cancer awareness}.  i know  i will be purchasing this beautiful circle of hope scarf:

 and, i’m not going to lie, the beautiful dreamer pajama pants are on my holiday wish list:

remember, breast cancer is out there.  it’s everywhere.  it has touched my life in such a way that i do not think i will ever be free from it.  but, rather than let it bring me down, i can fight and stand proud along side the survivors, like my mother and my cousin, and advocate for the brave women and men who are battling for their lives.

This October, Ford Warriors in Pink® has launched its first ever produced documentary, “Bang the Drum: Living Out Loud in the Face of Breast Cancer.” The film honors 11 men and women breast cancer survivors who have demonstrated strength and courage in their battle with its “Models of Courage” program. 2012 marks Ford Motor Company’s 18th year of support for the breast cancer cause. In that time, Ford has dedicated more than $115 million to the breast cancer cause.

You too can get involved in this tremendously worthy program! When you buy Ford Warriors in Pink apparel at fordcares.com, 100 percent of the net proceeds go directly to support breast cancer awareness all year long.

To keep connected, be sure to check out Ford Warriors in Pink on Facebook and follow@WarriorsinPink on Twitter.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ford Warriors in Pink. The opinions and text are all mine.