As you probably already know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I've been thinking a lot lately about doing more with this wonderful community of people that we have created around my Yoga, Chair Yoga, Meditation, Pilates, and Chair Pilates classes. You are all some of the most amazing and most compassionate people I have ever met, and it is you that make my classes what they are. I'd like to use the strength of our community to support another local, Arizona community this October; Cancer Support Community Arizona.

While neither I, nor anyone in my immediate family has ever had to deal with breast cancer, or cancer of any kind for that matter, I know that many of you in my Wellness community have, and you are like sisters and brothers to me.

For those of you not familiar with it, the Cancer Support Community Arizona is a non-profit, which offers free support to anyone dealing with cancer, not only the cancer patients, but their families as well. Their mission is to uplift and strengthen people impacted by cancer by providing support, fostering compassionate communities, and breaking down barriers to care. I chose Cancer Support Community because they are local and they support families moving through any kind of cancer

Their programs have been designed to help ease the burden of the cancer journey for cancer patients and their loved ones. Their bilingual programs include support groups, healthy lifestyle programs, education presentations, social connections, and resource navigators who connect newly diagnosed cancer patients and their families to resources. Their programs are always provided at no cost, open to anyone impacted by cancer, based on research, and led by professionals, virtual and in person, offered throughout Arizona.

Their Phoenix location, which has been providing services since 1998, is located in a historic house, dating back to 1908, on Palm Lane in downtown Phoenix. This house and its beautiful surrounding grounds stand as a testament to compassion and strength in the face of cancer.

If you would like to learn more about the Cancer Support Community Arizona and their programs, please visit their website, cscaz.org

I have a special connection to the center as well. During my yoga teacher training courses, I was blessed to meet and become friends with my fellow student and teacher, Melodie Lewis. At the time, Melodie was a breast cancer survivor and was teaching Recovery Yoga classes at The Wellness Community, which has since become Cancer Support Community Arizona. Sadly, a couple of years after we met, Melodie's cancer would return, and this time she was not able to beat it. I had filled in for Melodie during much of her chemo treatments in this second round and, when she passed in early 2011, I was asked to teach the Recovery Yoga class at the center, which I did for five years. In that five years, I met so many strong and beautiful people, of every age and every background, moving through cancer. All of these people had nothing but positive experiences in the community to share with me,

Melodie was the epitome not only strength and courage, she was a true practitioner of mindfulness and being in the moment. I remember her telling me when the cancer came back that this was just another blip on the radar for her, and she wasn't going to let it get her down and she didn’t.

So, for Melodie, as well as for all of the others of you who have fought cancer in any way, I would like to make this October an effort to raise funds and proudly support Cancer Support Community Arizona, by donating them the funds we raise.