The month of October always holds the bulk of our seasonal festivities. We’re getting ready for all things Halloween and fall. But this October, one of the top things on my mind was breast cancer awareness month. Not that I forget about it other years, but it’s an easy thing to gloss over when there is no personal connection. This year, however, those pink ribbons mean more for me. 

In the beginning of the summer, I got the news that my cheer coach, Samantha Anderson, was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer. This was heartbreaking news as I knew how hard the next few months would be for her. We were all concerned, obviously, but Sam is a fighter. Even before she was diagnosed, we knew she was a fighter. There was never doubt in our minds that she wouldn’t come out on top. And we were ready to support her through it all.

Giving Sam all of our love and support was easy because she had always done the same for us. She always puts others before herself and takes care of us like her own family. I’ve never met someone so generous and willing to share her food with 24 cheerleaders in a heartbeat. Now it’s our turn to take care of her and show how grateful we are. A few weeks ago, Sam got the news that she was officially cancer free! I remember watching the video at practice of her ringing the bell. We were all huddled around looking at Mrs. Rees’s phone then burst into cheers and excitement. Her family and friends held a surprise benefit for Sam after her last chemo treatment. It was a wonderful day to show our support and love for her. The benefit was flooded with joy, tears, and friendship.

In the cheer world, Sam has made a huge impact on every cheerleader she’s coached. Peyton Schweitzer said “Sam has shown me that it is important to preserve through any hard situation, and she’s been an example of an independent woman who always stands up for herself and others.” This is so true. Her loyalty has always been admirable. I remember one time at a practice I was telling everyone about how there were a few lights on the dash of my car, but I had just started driving and didn’t know what they meant. Sam had over heard this and said something along the lines of “I have some friends that work at a car shop in Phila. Just take it there and tell them you’re one of my girls. They’ll take care of it for you.” Sam is one of those people who “knows a guy” for just about any situation you’d ever need. 

So moral of the story: Sam is a rockstar, and I just wanted to take some time to recognize her and hype her up because she has made an incredible impact on our lives <33 (also a quick shout out to Memories By Lois for taking that picture of us!)