By Mr. Mike, Championship Martial Arts – Table Rock Lake

Every October, the world turns pink — a color of awareness, remembrance, and hope. But this year, that color took on a deeper meaning inside our school.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is more than a campaign. It’s a reminder of the people we love, the people we’ve lost, and the people still fighting with everything they have. I’ve always known this month carried weight… but I didn’t realize just how much it meant to our CMA families until I saw it for myself.

A Small Gesture That Carried a Big Message

This year, I purchased small pink ribbon pins for students to wear on their uniforms. Nothing fancy — just a simple symbol of awareness. I encouraged students and families to write the names of people they knew who had been impacted by breast cancer on our prayer board.

And if they weren’t comfortable sharing the name, I told them they could simply write “Mom,” “Sister,” “Friend,” “Coach,” “Aunt,” or “Grandma.”

They added those names to our Brag/Prayer board.

I expected participation.

What I didn’t expect was an outpouring.

Within days, the board was filled. Names upon names. Stories, memories, hopes, and heartbreaks written in marker, each one placed with love.

The Moment It Hit Me

There were many times over the month I found myself simply standing in front of our Brag/Prayer board. I’d read the names one by one — sometimes whispering a prayer for them right there on the spot. Those moments grounded me. They reminded me that what we do at CMA is not just martial arts… it’s ministry, mentorship, and meaning.

And more than once, I came into class tired… distracted… worn down from long days. But then I’d catch a glimpse of a little pink ribbon pinned to a student’s uniform. Not just a decoration, but a reminder that this child — this eight-year-old student standing in front of me — has already been touched by something far bigger and harder than any drill we do on the mat.

And everything inside me would shift.

It made me focus harder.

It made me teach with more purpose.

It made me remember why I do this — not just to build skilled martial artists, but to build Champions in Life.

Because if life can hand a child something as heavy as cancer touching their family, then it is my responsibility to equip them with the strength, confidence, and resilience to face every challenge that lies ahead.

My Own Story

Cancer is not a distant concept for me. It’s not a statistic or a headline.

My father lost his battle with cancer in 2010.

My mother followed two years later.

The full story is complicated, and the pain of those years is something I prefer to keep brief — but those experiences shaped me. They shaped how I see struggle. How I see courage. How I see hope.

And maybe that’s why, when I looked at our board — overflowing with names — I felt something deeper than sadness.

I felt unity.

I felt strength.

I felt a community standing together.

Your Loved Ones, Our Inspiration

To every survivor represented on our board:

You are heroes.

Your strength, perseverance, and courage are the definition of a Black Belt spirit.

To the loved ones — the children, spouses, siblings, friends, and families who stood by someone through the fight:

Your love, loyalty, and support are equally powerful.

You remind us that no one becomes strong alone.

Teaching Through the Hard Days

When I teach Taekwondo, I’m not just teaching kicks and punches. I’m teaching children how to navigate life — the good days, the hard days, and the days that shake you.

An eight-year-old might not know it yet, but they will face hurdles:

• setbacks
• disappointments
• fear
• loss
• and challenges far beyond the mat

My job is to prepare them for those moments.

To help them rise to the occasion rather than shrink from it.

To help them face hardship with Focus, Discipline, Respect and Confidence.

That’s not something I take lightly.

The Board, the Names, and Moving Forward

As October came to an end, I stood in front of the board — covered corner to corner with names. And I realized something important:

Eventually, the board will be erased.

We’ll spray it down.

Wipe it clean.

Start fresh for a new month.

But we are not erasing them.

We are not forgetting them.

We are simply moving forward with the strength they inspired in us.

The names may disappear from the board…

but not from our hearts,

not from our stories,

and not from the lessons we carry into every class.

A Month to Remember — A Mission That Continues

Those pink ribbons reminded me of something profound:

Behind every student is a life story.

Behind every kick is a challenge they’ve faced.

Behind every smile is a strength they’ve earned.

This month didn’t just raise awareness — it deepened our connection as a family. It reminded us that compassion, unity, and shared struggle can make us stronger than we ever realized.

To everyone who shared a name, a ribbon, a moment, or a memory — thank you.

You made October unforgettable.