October can be an easy month to overlook as we start to think about winter and the holidays, and reminisce about the fresh summer memories. However, it’s actually quite an important month because October brings a focus on breast cancer and inspires us to take charge of our health, especially as women.

This became all the more real to me when I was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer at age 35, only a few months after winning my Olympic gold medal. I had found a small pea-sized lump in my breast one night while getting ready for bed, and immediately knew I needed to get it checked out. Thank goodness I did, because early detection was a critical element in the success of my treatment.

Another element that was successful in my treatment was one of the chemotherapy medications I received, which had only been developed in the previous ten years. Such critical advances in treatment have been possible thanks to all the attention going to breast cancer research. Without that medication, outcomes for my type of cancer had been frighteningly dim.

When you exercise regularly, eat a nutritious diet, get enough sleep, and engage in outside activities, you think you are invincible to things like cancer. But my diagnosis was the wake-up call that anyone, even world-class athletes, are not immune. My experience has taught me that we need to continue making healthy choices and remain vigilant to changes in our bodies. Utilizing modern tools like mammograms and supporting all-important cancer research are ways we can take control of our health and that of everyone on our team.