As we know, October is a month of scary subjects such as Halloween and horror films. What we should really be focused on is the real scary topic: Breast Cancer.

Ever since I was little, I have been familiar with cancer because literally everyone on my Grandma’s side of the family has had some type of cancer. I have grown up watching my family suffer through treatments that weakened them. I had to hear about the pain they went through. When my parents went to help, i had to grow up quickly and take care of my sister. What I have come to realize is that breast cancer is not something I would wish upon my worst enemy.

Breast cancer is a common thing that we hear about and see all the time. We see the iconic pink ribbon and the pink bracelets that show the support of people suffering with breast cancer. We hear all kinds of phrases that indicate that breast cancer is something that everyone needs to know about.

We go through our days not noticing the girl we sit next to whose relative is suffering from breast cancer. We can’t see the pain that the family is going through. Families in our community go through this every day. In some joyous occasions, the fighting pays off and the cancer loses the battle. However, that is not always the case.

We don’t hear the stories about those who have lost the battle.  The families have just lost a member of their family. They just lost a mother. They lost a daughter. They lost a sister. They lost a friend. Those woman didn’t deserve what they had to go through. October is a time where we can remember those who didn’t win their final battle.

This month, I want to see love that I know our community has. I want to see the support that each family that has to deal with the cancer needs. I want to see that breast cancer isn’t something that we can’t talk about.

So wear pink sometime this month. Participate in a fundraiser. Organize a Walk for the Cure. But whatever you do, remember that cancer is a word, not a sentence.