October is all but done, but there's enough time to eke in a message about breast cancer awareness. For many decades, the month has traditionally been designated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month worldwide. Where recognition of the disease, training on how to pinpoint the signs and symptoms, and encouragement is given to have regular screenings. The first Breast Cancer Awareness campaign happened around 40 years ago, and despite the advances and money poured into research, there is much that is still unknown about this particular form of cancer. A dear, dear friend lost her battle with breast cancer, so as I watched her walk through some of that journey, I can attest that more information and focus on what works best to bring healing and help to the person walking through this battle is so very critical.
Which is why this story of Eaton Academy Principal Nicole Sims warms the heart. The same year Sims took on the role of principal at this K-8 academy, she also received her breast cancer diagnosis. It was the focus of leading her staff, teachers, and the school's young charges, as well as the support and embrace of this community, which helped her to battle the disease and come through to the other side with success.
Surviving and thriving is the subject of this week's Feel-Good Friday.
October may be coming to a close, but awareness and support surrounding breast cancer shouldn’t end with the month. Behind every pink ribbon are patients, survivors, families, caregivers, researchers, and healthcare professionals whose stories continue long after October is over. Some things are too important to put away with the calendar. #BreastCancerAwareness #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #ThinkPink #AmericanMessaging
— American Messaging (@amsmsg) October 30, 2026
October may be coming to a close, but awareness and support surrounding breast cancer shouldn’t end with the month.
Behind every pink ribbon are patients, survivors, families, caregivers, researchers, and healthcare professionals whose stories continue long after October is over.
Some things are too important to put away with the calendar.
Students and staff at a Detroit-area school recently traded their usual colors for pink, filling the halls to surprise their principal with a celebration of her strength after she survived breast cancer. The honoree was Nicole Sims, principal of Eaton Academy, who was diagnosed with the disease the same year she took the job.
The moment was captured and reported by NBC News correspondent Tom Llamas, who noted that Sims became principal of Eaton Academy in 2024 and received her cancer diagnosis that same year, according to NBC News. The network's Nightly News broadcast featured the celebration in a segment that ran just over a minute, spotlighting how the school community rallied around its leader.
WATCH:
It's a beautiful thing that Sims' community recognized her grit and determination to live, and celebrated this victory for life with her.
In 2026, approximately 382,640 women in the United States alone will receive a breast cancer diagnosis, including 321,910 with invasive breast cancer and 60,730 with non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer. One in eight women will receive a diagnosis of breast cancer in her lifetime.
What has been learned over decades of research and treatment is that early detection does save lives, with a five-year survival of around 99 percent. There are currently over four million breast cancer survivors in the United States.