I woke up the first day of October and searched through my closet. There on my top shelf was my pink shirt. I changed my wedding band out for a pink silicone ring and hung my pink ribbon shaped earrings in my ears. So many friends flashed before my mind’s eye as I looked in the mirror. Many went through surgeries, chemo, and radiation. Others had total mastectomies and reconstruction. Some are now cancer free. Some have had a recurrence. And some didn’t make it.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this time every year I take many moments to pause. Often in those quiet moments I whisper prayers for my friends who are currently facing breast cancer. Other times I send a text or make a call to a friend I know has overcome, just to let them know I’m thinking about them. And I remember the lives of so many people I knew who fought a hard fight but ended up losing the battle in the end.

When I see someone who is in the battle or who has beaten their foe, I no longer see them like I did before. Cancer changes a person. It humbles. Breaks. Shapes. And makes a person into someone new. Kind of like a soldier who’s been in the war. They see things. Push through things. And know things that others will never comprehend unless they’ve walked the road of cancer. They are truly warriors.

This month let’s make sure to show our love and support to every breast cancer warrior we know—whether in the battle or on the other side. The road they walk is hard, but the hope and faith they gain is a prize they all have in common. Breast Cancer Warriors, we raise a salute to you. Love and prayers to each of you, no matter where you are in the battle. We believe in you!