It's October!

October is a special month for me. It holds good and sad memories (both my parents died in October). My husband and I moved into our first house in October, and Halloween--my favorite holiday because it brings out my inner child--is in October. Many years we held costume parties at Halloween. Oh, what fun.

Our first Halloween party.

 

For many, depending on where you live, October marks autumn, with colorful leaf changing and fall festivals, pumpkins and colorful gourds, and football games. I live in Florida, where it's still summer weather, but we do have some fall color. And football is celebrated everywhere and on every level, from high school to professional teams.

My alma mater--UL Cardinals

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, too. While I've always supported the pink movement, I took a more personal interest when I battled the disease in 2010. Now I'm celebrating three and a half years as a breast cancer survivor.

I urge you to celebrate October. Host or attend a tailgate party. Support the local school's fall festival. Donate to one of the breast cancer research causes and wear pink. Schedule your mammogram if you haven't done so. Dress up in a fun costume for Halloween. Bake chocolate cupcakes with orange frosting--or orange cupcakes with chocolate frosting.

Happy autumn!

Now I must get back to writing my latest Drake Springs romance, Return to Drake Springs.

Breast Cancer - Early Detection is Crucial

It's October, which means it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I'm a survivor, which gives me the right to lecture you, so please read.

My friend Bobbie died at age 38 from breast cancer about 25 years ago. Each year the survival rate improves. When Bobbie died, the survival rate was barely 80%. Now it's up to 96%. Breast cancer is a killer. BUT it's also treatable. The key is early detection.

One in eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Annual mammograms, particularly in women 50 and older, are essential; however, mammograms alone aren't enough. Women of all ages need to perform monthly breast self exams (BSEs). I had a clean mammogram two months before I discovered a lump during my BSE. Fortunately, I was still stage one when I had surgery. I shudder to think how I would have fared had I depended solely on mammography and waited 10 months!

If you feel something new or different, see your physician immediately. Chances are, it's a false alarm, but don't take that chance. The earlier you start treatment, the better your chances of survival.

I now attend an American Cancer Society sponsored survivors' group that meets monthly, and it is encouraging to meet ladies who have beaten breast cancer many years ago. My friend (and author) Judith Leigh is a 25 year survivor. But any of these ladies will tell you that early detection is crucial.

Please, please, do those monthly checks.