This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In preparing the Yuma Sun special section on the subject, published Oct. 1, I learned that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with the disease during their lifetime.

I thought of my wedding, when five of my best friends served in my wedding party. One of them battled breast cancer last year. So one in six in my group of close friends got it.

Now one of my cousins is in the midst of battling the disease.

They both live in other cities. Other than short visits and texting, I felt helpless, not being able to be there with them as they went through chemotherapy, radiation or simply holding their hand during scary moments.

What can we do when someone we know is diagnosed with breast cancer? The Breast Cancer Foundation offered these suggestions:

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