Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2025
A sister can be seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves – a special kind of double. ~ Toni Morrison
On January 9, 2007, I lost one of the most extraordinary sisters in my circle to this illness—Breast Cancer, the second-leading cause of death among women. Since then, several other precious sister-friends have followed the same path. My dear friend, Queen and anchor-in-the-wind Dyan Adams, taught me one of the most valuable lessons I will ever learn:
Awareness is the key that keeps us in the boat when the waters turn wild.
Globally, every few minutes a woman somewhere is diagnosed with breast cancer. In the U.S., about 1 in 8 women—roughly 13% will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime The five-year relative survival rate for all stages combined in the U.S. stands at around 91%—and when the disease is caught early and still located in the breast (no spread), survival jumps to nearly 99% These numbers bring hope, but they don’t ease the ache of loss or the weight of knowing that someone you love—or you—could be next.
Dyan’s journey was both fierce and gentle. She was a trusted make-up artist, esthetician, mother, friend to so many, and a dedicated advocate for breast-cancer awareness in Washington, D.C. After she and others around her faced diagnosis and fear, she leaned into something deeper—not just treatments, but transformation. She became the owner of DV8 (Deviate) Intimate Day Spa, a holistic wellness sanctuary where bodies, hearts and souls were honored together.
Her mantra—“Come in Pieces…Leave Whole”—was no cliché; it was a spiritual signature.
That phrase became mine too, a compass when the world turned upside-down. Dyan lived what she taught. She didn’t hang out with fear; she rolled out with faith. Over time, I fell in love with the color pink, not just for its softness, but for its story. Dyan showed me how to wear pink in its true exquisiteness. She revealed her fear, her flight, and her faith in one unbroken sequence.
“I don’t hang out with fear—I roll out with faith.”
Each October, the world dresses in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year marks decades of dedicated awareness, education and empowerment. But beyond the ribbons and miles walked, the real work is in the quiet spaces: early detection, self-checks, community conversations, advocacy, and hope made tangible.
It’s important to know: about 85% of breast cancers occur in women with no family history—so this isn’t just about genetics; it’s about life happening in our bodies. And while the disease may strike across all ethnicities, the statistics tell us one truth: when caught early, the odds lean in our favor. Localized breast cancer (confined to the breast) boasts a nearly 99% five-year survival rate. Komen.org
“Most breast cancers have no family history. The story can begin with any of us—but awareness can change how it ends.”
While breast cancer is often thought of as a woman’s disease, male breast cancer—though rare—is too often overlooked. In 2009, advocacy groups such as the Brandon Greening Foundation for Breast Cancer in Men, Out of the Shadow of Pink, and A Man’s Pink united to establish the third week of October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week. Awareness saves lives regardless of gender. In 2012, an estimated 2,190 new cases of breast cancer and 410 deaths occurred in men, and today, a man’s lifetime risk remains about 1 in 1,000
Every October, communities across the globe raise funds, lace up their shoes, and walk in the name of awareness—from the United States to Australia, New Zealand to Romania—turning pink ribbons into symbols of solidarity, empowerment, and life. Organizations such as Ride to Empower, Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Breast Cancer Network of Strength, the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Men Against Breast Cancer (MABC), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and even the National Football League (NFL) continue to support research, education, and healing initiatives that remind us we’re all in this together.
But beyond the statistics and sponsorships lies something deeply spiritual. Every personal encounter we embrace in this life has its own decree of divinity—a reason, a season, or a lifetime lesson to be gathered. Dyan’s courage and conscious conviction saved hundreds of lives. She shared her knowledge freely, teaching women the sacred importance of early detection and self-awareness. Her willingness to embrace her own journey and minister to others—young and old—is a living testimony to her legacy.
Survival is more than just numbers. It’s every “hello” after the treatment, every scar that becomes a story, every breath that whispers, “I’m still here.” Dyan’s legacy continues to remind me that the race isn’t just about the finish line—it’s about how we cross the bridge together. We survive by holding each other. We rise by loving out loud.
Today, there are more than 4.3 million women breast cancer survivors in the United States.
It’s my turn now to be brave.
🌺May your journey be wrapped in pink light, anchored by sisterhood, and carried by faith.
