According to an overwhelming number of statistics, research, reports and studies, more than 200,000 women each year are diagnosed with breast cancer, accounting for more than 14 percent of all new cancer diagnoses each year.

That is a staggering figure.

In Mississippi alone more than 2,000 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed, with nearly 150 losing the battle.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, raising awareness of the disease, recognize and support the women — and men — who are battling and have battled the disease, the programs and organizations helping fight the disease and highlighting the ways we can all help in that fight.

Throughout the year, we routinely cover events tied to amazing charities, we promote charitable organizations and we try to tell the stories of those who commit their lives to the defeat of this and other cancers.

But when it comes to telling a story, there’s only so much we can do. That’s where you, our readers, can help.

The Vicksburg Post is dedicating its Sunday, Oct. 11 edition to telling the story of breast cancer in our community. And, just like last year, the edition will be printed on special pink paper.

But that is not what will be special about the edition.

Beginning today, we are asking our community to help write the edition, help tell the story of the fight against breast cancer in Vicksburg and Warren County.

The newspaper is inviting those who have battled breast cancer, are fighting the disease, or those families and friends who have lost the fight to tell us their story.

Stories, no longer than 400 words, can be emailed to our editor, Jan Griffey, between now and Thursday, Oct. 8. And, we would ask the author submit a picture of themselves or the person whose story they are sharing.

The stories and photos should be emailed to jan.griffey@vicksburgpost.com.

All of these stories will be compiled and published in the special breast cancer awareness edition of The Vicksburg Post on Sunday, Oct. 11.

The stories will also be shared online on vicksburgpost.com.

Cancer is a disease, as I have written before, that knows no prejudice. It strikes men and women, young and old. It is a disease — in whatever form, whatever variation — that must be fought and ultimately will be defeated.

Breast cancer, when diagnosed early, is very treatable, but as the statistics show, we still lose far too many to the disease.

Maybe the stories you share, the stories your friend shares, will help someone else going through their fight against breast cancer.

So, help us, join us, in telling the story of breast cancer in Vicksburg and Warren County and help us continue the fight against this terrible disease.

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Tim Reeves is publisher of The Vicksburg Post. You may reach him at tim.reeves@vicksburgpost.com or 601-636-4545.