About a month ago I decided to do one thing every day in October to promote breast cancer awareness.  It is a very personal cause that is close to my heart.  See why below.

Ironically, my dear friend who is always trying to encourage my blog and my writing told me this morning about an online writing challenge starting today called 31 Days.  The idea is to pick one topic and write a post on that topic every day for the month of October.  I was compelled to check it out since it was something that was already in the works for me.

I love challenges.  This will be an exciting opportunity for me to develop my own writing while I spread the word about breast cancer and discover new bloggers in the process.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey of pink!  🙂

Twenty years ago I lost my mother to breast cancer at 51.  I lay with her as she took her last breath and for that I am truly grateful.

Newly married, it was a hard time to lose her.  She wouldn’t be there to ask advice of. She would never see her grandchildren.  She would never see what kind of woman I became.

After she died, I became passionate about honoring her through awareness about the disease.  I wore a pink ribbon over my heart every day for two years.  I participated in fundraising events and breast cancer 3 day walks.  I did not want her death to be in vain.

Then I had children and life took over.  I put breast cancer on the back burner.

Well now it is time to resurrect the fight.

You see 20 years ago when she died the statistic was that 1 in 8 women would be diagnosed with breast cancer.  That statistic is still the same today.  Women ARE living longer with the disease today and it is a treatable cancer if found early.  But 1 in 8 women will still be diagnosed.  In 20 years I had hoped there to have been some improvement.

Getting the word out about early detection is very important to me.  That is the key.  My mother was terrible about taking care of herself.  She wasn’t good at being proactive when it came to her health. By the time she found the cancer it was ultimately too late.  For her lack of care and “I’m fine” attitude, she paid the ultimate price.

In October, I will be doing one thing every day to bring attention to this disease.  I will be posting on my blog at One Salty Kiss, the facebook page One Salty Kiss, on instagram @One_Salty_Kiss, on twitter @OneSaltyKiss and on Pinterest so I apologize that you will be inundated with pink for the next 31 days.

This is a way to honor my mother, to support my two sisters-in-law who are survivors,  to encourage my mother-in-law who is battling as I write this and to let all the women (and men) out there dealing with breast cancer on some level know that I am with them!

I am doing this for each of them.

Closest to my heart however, I am doing this for Payton, my 16 year old daughter.  With so many women in her family that have had breast cancer, genetics are not on her side.  I am literally trying to fight for her life.

So please be patient with me…it will be a lot of pink and boob talk over the next month.

I would love it if you would reach out and connect with me on one platform or another.  I would love to know about how you have been touched by breast cancer or what you think of what I’m doing or if you have any ideas on how we can make an impact.

I believe we are all in this fight against breast cancer together.  And together surely we can make a difference.

So, for my mothers, my sisters, my nieces, my friends, myself and especially for my daughter I dedicate my October words and photos.

Thank you for listening and for fighting alongside me!

Salty Kisses.

Karen