TACOMA, Wash. -- It\'s one of my first memories from my childhood, and it still haunts me. I was sitting in the living room combing my mom's hair and it just seemed to fall out - all of it. I had combed her hair hundreds of times. I loved combing her hair, but today wouldn't be one of the better memories. At 6 years old, I was affected by something people may never experience. Although, according to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women will. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was 29 years old. She was a young wife and mother of a 5-year-old and a 2-year-old. I can only imagine what thoughts flooded her mind. You see, I am 30 years old, married and the mother of a 6-year-old and a 3-year-old. I don't have breast cancer, but my life's obligations are so similar to hers at that time it's a bit eerie. October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. America brings out pink ribbons and commercials about the most common cancer found in women. Campaigns kick off and fundraisers move into a higher gear. All of these aim at defeating a cancer that is killing our nation's women. I do those things every month. Pink ribbons are not saved for October in our house. After almost 25 years with a cancer-free mom, being part of a Family afflicted with breast cancer has become a reality more than once. My maternal grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer just a few years ago. Early detection is key to survival of patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Self-exams and mammograms are the best forms of detection. The American Cancer Society recommends self-exams begin in your twenties. For Families like mine, they recommend more preventive care. I started receiving mammograms at 19. I sit in the waiting room with a more mature crowd, but we are all there for the same reason - prevention. I also take part in yearly MRIs. The combination of the mammograms and MRIs make it possible to track any changes in my breast tissue and arm my doctors with a baseline should I be diagnosed with breast cancer in the future. Whether a member of your Family has had breast cancer or not, it is a disease women and men must be aware of. Breast cancer affects everyone. Doctors have told me there are things I can do to decrease my risk of getting breast cancer. They recommend I limit alcohol intake, exercise regularly, and maintain a healthy body weight. They also recommended breast feeding for several months with my boys and avoid certain hormone therapies. I figure whatever it takes. During October, I always pause to remember just how strong and brave my mom is. I tell her I love her and I'm still proud of her. I will don pink ribbon pins and wear pink T-shirts more often than normal. Then again, I do all of that every month.