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While many associate the month of October with fall colors, pumpkin spice, and all things spooky, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the splash of pink you see during October symbolizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the second-leading cause of death among females in all age groups and all races and origins at 20.7%. The percentages increase to 34.2% among women ages 45-64 and 27% among women ages 65-84.

Many of us have either known or lost a loved one who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Some in our communities have braved the fight against the illness and emerged as a survivor.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is not just an excuse to wear pink clothing or affix a pink ribbon on the chosen attire of the day. It’s a period for reflection and thought about ways you can support initiatives in place to help survivors, those currently afflicted and going through treatment, and those researching means to cure or prevent breast cancer.

Often, some equate support to monetary means on in-kind donations, but if people don’t have the means to support in that capacity, how can they help?

Seek out members within our communities, and ask what we can do locally to help, even if it is something as simple as making a space available for free for breast cancer survivors who’d like to host a support group.

We applaud our survivors, their loved ones, and our medical care professionals as well as any volunteers who go above and beyond to help enrich the lives of those impacted by breast cancer.

For more information or to make donations to support breast cancer awareness and research, visit The Breast Cancer Research Foundation Of Alabama at https://www.bcrfa.org or National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. at https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org.