Why October Matters to Our Family

October carries a lot of weight for our family.

Meral’s experience with breast cancer changed the way I think about time, work, and being present for the people I love. I’ve shared parts of that before because it is part of the story behind Mile High Solar Care. As Breast Cancer Awareness Month begins, I want to take a little time to explain why it matters here.

When someone you love is facing cancer, the things that once seemed urgent can look very different. For me, being present for Meral became central to how I thought about our future. I wanted more say in how I spent my time and what I was building with it.

That experience helped shape my decision to build a business with her. Mile High Solar Care is work we get to shape together. It gives us a place to put our ideas, effort, and values into practice, even as we continue learning what it takes to run a small company.

Meral has been central to that work from the beginning. She notices things I miss. She asks questions I haven’t considered. Her care and attention to detail help turn ideas into plans and plans into the work our customers see. She is my wife and my business partner, and I am grateful for what she brings to both parts of our life.

I also want to be honest about the weight that remains. I’m grateful for the life we’re building, and I still carry fear from what we went through. Both belong in my account of our experience. I don’t want the way we talk about October to suggest that every difficult part fits neatly into a finished story.

I know this month holds many different experiences. Some people are receiving treatment. Some are living with breast cancer or with lasting effects. Some are supporting a loved one, and others are grieving. Our family’s story is one among many, and we want to make room for that.

For our business, October is a reason to reflect on how we treat people. Respect, patience, and clear communication matter in ordinary interactions. We may know very little about what someone else is managing.

Over the month, we’re sharing a few reflections and links to established support resources. We hope they offer something useful without asking anyone to share more of their own story than they want to.

Thank you for taking the time to read a little of ours.

— Jeremy