Sunday, September 30, 2007

Perfectly Pink

Dear Blogger Family & Friends,

The Pink Crusader sends warm cyber-hugs while tending to family business this week. Please read on for the latest news and updates...

More pink here, if you please.

- Franz Liszt

As we immerse ourselves into October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we will soon be swimming in a sea of pink festivities. We hope you will do your part to raise awareness by participating in at least one event this month on a local level. Your community is counting on you. Cheers to the power of pink!
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SURVIVOR UPDATE

From Ellen Vaeth:
I am pleased to report that I am cancer free. The radiation did it's job and I show no signs of cancer anywhere. I will not have to take chemo but will remain on the preventive drugs (Avastin and Aredia) for the time being. Needless to say I am tickled PINK!!!!
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FYI
From Janice Duplessis & Rosemary Barr

Marc Silver is writing a story for Cure magazine on adult children who are the primary caregiver for a parent with cancer. He's looking for folks to
interview for the story and would like to talk with them about what it was like to assume the caregiver role, how it changed their relationship with their parent, what the biggest surprises and challenges were, and what advice they'd give other adult children who find themselves thrust into a caregiver role.

If you know of anyone who might be willing to be interviewed, please contact Marc Silver at : msilver@ngs.org or phone: 202-857-7623

From Cheryl P. Donlin

Study: All types of alcohol raise breast cancer risk
By MARIA CHENG

BARCELONA, Spain — All types of alcohol — wine, beer or liquor — add
equally to the risk of developing breast cancer in women, American
researchers said today.

"This is a hugely underestimated risk factor," said Dr. Patrick
Maisonneuve, head of epidemiology at the European Institute of Oncology
in Italy, who was not connected to the study.

"Women drinking wine because they think it is healthier than beer are
wrong," he said. "It's about the amount of alcohol consumed, not the
type."

Previous studies have shown a link between alcohol consumption and
breast cancer, but there have been conflicting messages about whether
different kinds of alcohol were more dangerous than others.

The researchers, led by Dr. Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanente
Medical Care Program in Oakland, Calif., revealed their findings at a
meeting of the European Cancer Organization in Barcelona.

Researchers analyzed the drinking habits of 70,033 women of various
races and asked them questions during health exams between 1978 and
1985. By 2004, 2,829 of these women had been diagnosed with breast
cancer.

Klatsky and his colleagues looked at which types of alcohol the women
drank, as well as their total alcohol intake. They compared that to
women who had less than one drink a day.

Researchers found no difference in the risk of developing breast cancer
among women who drank wine, beer, or liquor. Compared with light
drinkers — those who had less than one drink a day — women who had one or two drinks a day increased their risk of developing breast cancer by
10 percent. Women who had more than three drinks a day raised their
risk by 30 percent.

"A 30 percent increased risk is not trivial," Klatsky said. "It
provides more evidence for why heavy drinkers should quit or cut down."

Some experts said that people might be confused by suggestions that
drinking red wine is healthy, since some studies have suggested that it
protects against heart disease.

"None of these mechanisms have anything to do with breast cancer,"
Klatsky said. Though it is not entirely clear how alcohol contributes
to breast cancer, some experts think it raises hormone levels in the
blood to levels that could potentially cause cancer.

Still, doctors said that other factors, such as genetics, obesity, and
age, were more important in raising the breast cancer risk than was
alcohol consumption.

More public education may be needed. "Alcohol has had a lot of good
publicity. People may not realize the risk they're taking when they
have a few drinks," said Tim Key, of the Cancer Research UK
Epidemiology Unit at Oxford. Key was not involved in the study.

According to data published in the British Journal of Cancer in 2002, 4
percent of all breast cancers — about 44,000 cases a year — in the
United Kingdom are due to alcohol consumption.

Only a small proportion of women are thought to be heavy drinkers. But
experts now say there is enough evidence to blame alcohol for breast
cancer — and to start educating the public.

"Any alcohol consumption will raise your breast cancer risk," Key said.
"Women don't have to abstain from alcohol entirely, but they need to be
aware of the risks they're taking when they have a few too many
drinks."
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/chronicle/5169114.html
Brought to you by the HoustonChronicle.com

From Penny Andrea-Einmo
Just for Fun, visit this site:
http://facesinplaces.blogspot.com/
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UPCOMING EVENTS: Mark Your Calendars and Save the Dates!

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Monday, October 1, 2007 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Serenitea Tea Room
13889 Southwest Freeway
Sugar Land, TX 77478
281-491-4588

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Tuesday, October 2, 2007 Time: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Appearances Boutique, Mays Clinic, 2nd Floor
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

ROSEBUDS MEETING
Breast Cancer Support Group Meeting
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Open to all Breast Cancer Patients/Survivors
1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month
Next meeting October 2, 2007
5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
www.RosebudsSupport.org
We look forward to seeing you!

SURVIVING CANCER: A PATIENT'S PROVOCATIVE PERSPECTIVE
Jonathan Alter, columnist and senior editor for Newsweek
Tuesday, Oct. 2, noon-1:00 p.m.
Hickey Auditorium (R11.1400), M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Lunch will be provided for the first 200 attendees.

Alter, who wrote an April Newsweek article, My Life With Cancer,
is an acclaimed journalist, historian and author who was diagnosed in 2004 with mantle cell lymphoma. Since then, he has openly shared details of his
diagnosis and treatment; how he and those around him have coped; and what he has learned along the way about himself, his disease and oncology in general.

COURAGE NIGHT 2007 - Young Survivors Coalition (YSC) Houston
Spend an evening celebrating survivorship with friends and family at the Saint Arnold Brewery. There will be tours, food and adult beverages.
October 4, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Saint Arnold Brewery
www.saintarnold.com

2007 SUSAN G. KOMEN HOUSTON RACE FOR THE CURE
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Houston Affiliate
Saturday, October 6, 2007 Sam Houston Park- Downtown
Race Day Schedule
7:45 a.m. Opening Ceremonies & Memorial Birds
8:00 a.m. Family Walk and Kids K by ConocoPhillips
8:15 a.m. 5K Coed Timed Competitive Run
8:25 a.m. 5K Coed Non-Competitive Run
8:35 a.m. 5K Coed Walk
9:15 a.m. Runners' Awards Ceremony
10:00 a.m. Awards Ceremony and Survivor Celebration
For more Information: Phone: (713) 783-9188 Fax: (713) 783-9187
http://www.komen-houston.org email:info@komen-houston.org

KNOCKOUT ROSES
A support group for women diagnosed under 40
2nd Monday of each month, @ 5:45
October 8, November 12, December 10
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Contact Amy Rigsby, Technical Director of The Rose
713-660-6675.

THE TEXAS KOMEN COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
The Komen Community Challenge is on a cross-country road trip, bringing our special brand of pink ribbon activism to 25 cities with a rallying cry to "close the gap" in funding for cancer research. Help us say it loud and clear in Texas! Come listen to live music, eat BBQ and wear pink in support of Proposition 15!

Our rally will feature inspirational speakers, a chance to meet and mingle with other breast cancer advocates survivors, community leaders and public officials from across the state and, of course, a call for all Texans to vote YES on Proposition 15 for the Cure on November 6th!We have made great strides in the fight against cancer, but we cannot lose momentum. We must continue to invest in finding the cures. Proposition 15 will create $300 million dollars a year for cancer control, prevention and research in Texas. We must make Texas the global leader in the fight to end breast cancer forever.

What: The Texas Komen Community Challenge - rally, live music and free BBQ
When: Wednesday, October 10, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Where: Stubbs BBQ and Wallercreek Amphitheater - Downstairs Bar and Patio ~ 801 Red River, Austin, Texas 78701
Who: You and your friends and family - and make sure everyone wears pink!
Please RSVP today.

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Don't miss the opportunity to purchase your copy and have it
signed by the author, photographer and many of the book's participants.
Friday, October 12, at Saks Fifth Avenue, Galleria location, Houston.
Sponsored by Cellcosmet of Cellap Switzerland, in conjuntion with SAKS.
12:00 - 4:00 pm

2007 PINK ROSE BRUNCH & FASHION SHOW
Methodist Cancer Center Special Event
October 13, 10:30am - 1:30 pm
The Junior League, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston
Free Admission. Limited Space. Register at 713-790-2700

MARNIE ROCKS SHOPPING EVENT - YSC - Houston
Join us for a fun evening of shopping for a cause at Marnie's store! Marnie is a nationally famous jewelry designer with a breast cancer collection. The proceeds from this collection benefit YSC-Houston.
October 16, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Marnie Rocks Studio, 1415 S. Voss Road, Houston
www.marnierocks.com

2007 GREATER HOUSTON AREA BREAST HEALTH SUMMIT
Sponsors: Houston Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure and The Rose
When: Thursday, October 18, 2007; 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Where: United Way Community Resource Center, 50 Waugh Drive, Houston

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk
Saturday, October 20, 2007 Registration 8:00 am
Sam Houston Park, Downtown Houston Walk begins at 9:00 am
For more information visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline
Email: strides_houston@cancer.org Phone: 1-877-606-WALK

CAP HOLIDAY CARD SALES at MAYS CLINIC
Volunteer Services and The Children's Art Project (CAP) collaborate to better the lives of patients at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. For more than twenty-five years volunteers have assisted with Card Sales. Proceeds benefit M. D. Anderson's Pediatric and Adult Patient Programs. Volunteer Services is asking for volunteer assistance with the upcoming 2007 CAP - Holiday Card Sale at the Mays Clinic. Please contact Cindy Shursen, Program Coordinator - Volunteer Services, if you are available to assist during the below sale days / times.
Dates: November 5th -16th
Times frame: 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
Contact: Cindy Shursen
Phone: 713-745-0266
Email: cshursen@mdanderson.org

PRETTY IN LIVING PINK GALA - YSC - Houston
Annual Fund Raising event for the Young Survival Coalition - Houston Affiliate. Join us for a fun night of dinner and dancing 80's style - with live music and a silent auction! November 8, 6:30 pm
Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel Street, Houston

METASTATIC BREAST CANCER NETWORK
Finally, a national independent advocacy group of and for people with
metastatic breast cancer, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN). To
join and for information about this network visit www.MBCNetwork.org
Your membership in MBCN makes you a part of an important first step toward
bringing a new voice, a proactive voice, to the breast cancer community.
It is absolutely committed to you and makes the following pledge:
• We will honor your life by working together to fight for the development
of treatments that extend life as the search for the cure continues.
• We will protect your privacy and will never share your name or e-mail
address with any person or group.
• We will keep you informed of what we are doing to promote the concerns
of people living with advanced breast cancer.
Let our voices be heard!

November 17 - 18, 2007 Metastatic Breast Cancer Network 2nd Annual
National Conference, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Sponsored by Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi, Chairman of the Department of Breast
Medical Oncology. Registration will open in September on the MBCN web
site www.MBCNetwork.org MBCN’s 1st annual conference in 2006 was at
Sloan-Kettering in New York and was a great success with about 300
attendees.

THE ALICE THOMSEN LYMPHEDEMA AWARENESS GROUP of Houston Meetings are scheduled on the 3rd Tuesday of every other month at the American cancer Society Building,6301 Richmond (between Hillcroft and Fountainview) at 7:00pm. 2007. Next scheduled meeting is November 20th.
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BOOK SALES & UPDATE
The Faces behind Breast Cancer is available for purchase at the
following locations:

1) Through the web site at www.pinkcrusader.org

2) Serenitea Tea Room, 13889 Southwest Freeway
Sugar Land, TX 77478 (Limited time only)

3) Appearances Boutique, Mays Clinic, 2nd Floor,
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

4) be.lie.ve Breast Care Boutique, 7301 Fannin Street, Houston, TX

5) Borders Books - The Strip, North Canton, Ohio
Limited Number of Signed Copies Available 330-494-4776

In addition, we are working with several other retailers for book distribution within the local area and throughout the United States. Stay tuned......
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"SHARING is CARING"
As always, The Pink Crusader welcomes your comments, stories, poems, events and photographs!Posts are updated each week. Please send your written contributions to thepinkcrusader1@aol.com.

Christopher Robin is giving a party. Oh! said Pooh. ... Will there be those little cake things with pink sugar icing?

- A. A. Milne

Until next week stay strong, stay well and keep on dancing down the pink highway!
SmileyCentral.com
Love, Josie
The Pink Crusader
thepinkcrusader1@aol.com

Monday, September 24, 2007

Ohio says "HI"

Dear Blogger Family & Friends,

Greetings to one and all! Faster than a speeding bullet the Pink Crusader is back in town to blow drive-by kisses and give warm autumn hugs. Come on in and check-out the latest adventures in "Book-Tour Land...."

Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family. Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.
-Jane Howard

Papa Bear and the rest of the Caruso clan send their warmest regards to all of our blogger babies. We had a splendid time at our book-signing event at Borders Books in N. Canton, Ohio on Saturday afternoon, and appreciate the kind hospitality of general manager Kim Borcoman and staff. According to sources, it was the largest turn-out at that location in 7 years! Now, that is encouraging! We think a few fireworks are in order...

Special thanks to J.W. Cooper, Gloria Livingood, Nita Bille, and the "Caruso Girls" for making things come together. Oh, we can't forget sister Cindy who played chauffeur for the directionally challenged author; or the Hungarian Assassin who came heavily armed with rubber bands; then there was "Miss Bubbles," who added her flare to the festivities; not to be outdone by baby brother Joe who enjoyed not one, not two, but three cakes at his 50th birthday celebration....All the more goodies to share with nieces, nephews and visiting cousins from Pittsburgh and Australia.

At this point, we must proudly (and shamelessly) acknowledge our dear home-town buddies who have stood behind the book throughout this crazy journey: J. W., Gloria, Nita & Dave, Tracy, Ed & Diane, Larry, Cyndie, Merrie, Marcie, Barb, Cheryl, Paula, Donna, Nan, Linda, Steve, Grace, Patti, Jay, Jodie, Jeannie, Jo, Pete, Vanessa, Dave, Dorothy & Jim, and Cathy & John. Saturday's event was just as much their day as it was ours, in ways too numerous to mention. Thank you all so much. Please send pictures! Note to Kelly: Great job with the books. Hope your wrists are not sore!

Following this spectacular kick-off in Ohio, we now look forward to keeping the momentum going through October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Next stop: a group event at be-lie-ve Lifestyle Boutique on Thursday, September 27th. Invite your family, friends and co-workers to come visit with the author, photographer and participants ofThe Faces behind Breast Cancer, with proceeds to benefit M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. No doubt, with your help it will be another great event.
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This week we are pleased to bring you the current list of published and pending articles in the following publications. Please keep a lookout for special mention
of The Faces behind Breast Cancer.

August
Houston Chronicle - August 27, 2007 - Feature Story
The Promise - August, 2007 (M. D. Anderson Publication) - Feature Story

September
Fort Bend Herald & Texas Coaster Newspaper - Feature Story
September 20, 2007 - Online version not available at this time

Massillon Independent Newspaper - September 22, 2007 - Feature Story
http://www.indeonline.com/archive/archive_session.php?Date=20070922

October (Pending)
Better Homes & Gardens - October, 2007 - Canceled
Fort Bend Focus - October, 2007 - Feature Story
Fort Bend Lifestyles - October 2007 - Mention
Glamour Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
Health Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
Houston Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
Icon Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
MAMM Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
More Magazine - October 2007 - Canceled
002 Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
Pink Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
Self Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
The Cure Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
Texas Medical Center (TMC) News - October 1st - Feature Story
VIVE Magazine - October 2007 - Mention
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Note: We will continue to update the book tour schedule on our web site at www.pinkcrusader.org , and look forward to meeting your extended family and friends during our travels. Please continue to help us spread the word.
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BOOK SALES
Books are available for purchase at the following locations:

1) Through the web site at www.pinkcrusader.org

2) Appearances Boutique, Mays Clinic, 2nd Floor,
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX

3) be.lie.ve Breast Care Boutique, 7301 Fannin Street, Houston, TX

4) Borders Books - The Strip, North Canton, Ohio
Limited Number of Signed Copies Available 330-494-4776

In addition, we are working with several other retailers for book distribution within the local area and throughout the United States. Stay tuned......
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SURVIVOR UPDATE

Marcia Williamson

We wish fellow SOS Sister, Marcia Williamson a speedy recovery following
her surgery last Friday morning and pray for good test results. Please send get-well wishes to: williamsontx@alltel.net

Julia Kerner

We also send get-well wishes to SOS sister and book participant, Julia Kerner who is on the mend after undergoing hand surgery. You can forward your sentiments to Julia at: shifter33t@comcast.net

Stephanie Zerger

And, let's not forget some get-well wishes for one of our young survivors and book participant, Steph Zerger, who underwent surgery last week. We wish you a speedy recovery, Stephanie! Her e-mail address is: stephzerger@yahoo.com
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FYI

From Rosemary Herron:

Dear Breast Cancer Sisters,
It is not too late to register for this year's Race For The Cure on October 6th. Visit my personal page and read my message. You can set up your own page - if I can do it, anyone can!!!!! I wish you all the best in your own personal race to beat this disease! Blessings, Rosemary
http://www.komen-houston.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=1020&px=1026621

Also from Rosemary Herron:

Microarray Provides Three Genomic Guides to
Breast Cancer Treatment Decisions
HOUSTON - Three genomic tests separately predict the likelihood that a patient's breast cancer will reoccur after surgery without additional treatment, and the cancer's vulnerability to chemotherapy or hormone therapy, researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report at the first American Society of Clinical Oncology ASCO Breast Cancer Symposium Sept. 7-8 in San Francisco.

Each predictor - of prognosis, of sensitivity to chemotherapy and sensitivity to hormone therapy - is independent of the others, providing unique information to physicians and patients considering treatment options, says W. Fraser Symmans, M.D., professor in M. D. Anderson's Department of Pathology.

"Existing genomic tests for breast cancer provide information about future risk in general, but not the likely benefit of each treatment option separate from a patient's overall prognosis if no treatment followed surgery. It is important to independently assess these three variables," Symmans says.

Symmans and Lajos Pusztai, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in M. D. Anderson's Department of Breast Medical Oncology will present two research updates on the genomic predictors, which can be reported from a single microarray analysis of a needle biopsy of a patient's breast cancer.

Symmans will present results from two studies involving 960 patients validating a 200-gene index that predicts a patient's response to hormone-suppressing therapy. About 70 percent of breast cancers express the estrogen receptor (ER), indicating that their growth is fueled to some extent by the female hormone estrogen. Anti-estrogen therapies such as tamoxifen only benefit about half of these patients. The challenge is to predict exactly who will be helped and who should seek additional treatment.

In the two studies the Sensitivity to Endocrine Therapy (SET) Index score predicted distant relapse free survival among 453 patients who received tamoxifen for five years. The index did not predict prognosis among 507 patients who did not receive hormone therapy. "We believe this is the first genomic test to predict sensitivity to hormone therapy independent of a patient's prognosis if no post-surgical treatment is received," Symmans says.

"A patient with ER-positive breast cancer probably still would choose to receive hormonal therapy, but better understanding of their cancer's sensitivity to endocrine therapy would help patients and their doctors decide on a treatment strategy," Symmans notes.

Pusztai will present a poster showing what the three predictors reported in two groups of breast cancer patients. "These three predictors were developed and validated separately, now we've put them together for the intended purpose - to provide all the necessary information for physicians and patients to decide on the best therapy or combination of therapies for breast cancer from a single assay," Pusztai says.
The 3 clinical outcome predictors are;
* A 76-gene prognostic test that indicates whether a patient is at high or low risk of the cancer recurring after surgery developed by investigators at Erasmus University (Rotterdam, Netherlands) and Veridex LLC.
* A 30-gene predictor of the cancer's sensitivity to chemotherapy developed by M.D. Anderson investigators.
* The 200-gene index (SET) of sensitivity to hormone (endocrine) therapy developed by M.D. Anderson in collaboration with Nuvera Biosciences Inc.

The ASCO poster describes gene expression profiles analyzed from 198 patients with stage 1 or stage 2 breast cancer that had not spread to the lymph nodes and who had not been given chemotherapy or endocrine therapy after surgery.

Among the 198 patients, 55 were predicted to be at relatively low risk that the cancer would return. Of those low-risk patients, 21 were predicted to have cancer vulnerable to chemotherapy and 16 were predicted to have tumors susceptible to endocrine therapy. Two had cancers sensitive to both therapies.

Of the 143 patients predicted to have a high risk of recurrence, the analysis predicted 109 had cancer unlikely to respond to endocrine therapy, 64 were predicted to be insensitive to chemotherapy, and 38 were predicted to be unlikely to respond to both therapies.

Ultimately, Pusztai says, the predictors will help guide the decision whether to follow surgery with chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, both, or neither. A planned prospective clinical trial at M. D. Anderson will use these predictors to select treatment options for new patients.

"Let's say a new patient has a needle biopsy performed, and the microarray analysis of the tumor's gene expression predicts she is at low risk of recurrence and also has cancer that is insensitive to both chemo- and endocrine therapies; in this cases the best option is relatively clear; surgery alone," Pusztai explains. "However, it is important to know the sensitivity of the cancer to chemo- or endocrine therapies independent of the risk of recurrence alone. For example, a person even with low risk for cancer recurrence might elect to receive further therapy if her cancer is known to be highly susceptible to treatment."

Similarly, a patient with highly endocrine-sensitive cancer that is resistant to chemotherapy could avoid potentially toxic chemotherapy. Even individuals who are at high risk of recurrence and show genomic signs of low sensitivity to chemo and endocrine therapies could benefit from this knowledge; they might choose to participate in clinical trials with novel drugs.

The researchers' poster also covers genomic analysis of another 40 patients who received paclitaxel/FAC chemotherapy before surgery. Of those, 14 were predicted at low risk or recurrence (were they treated with surgery alone), four of whom (28 percent) had a complete pathologic response - no sign of cancer - supporting the investigators' claim that some low-risk individuals are highly responsive to chemotherapy. The remaining 26 were predicted to be at high risk of recurrence, four of whom had a complete pathologic response (15 percent). Eight of the high-risk patients had cancer that was predicted to be vulnerable to endocrine therapy.

This research was funded by grants from the National Cancer Institute and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the Commonwealth Foundation for Cancer Research. It was conducted in collaboration with investigators at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center led by Pusztai and Symmans; the Institute Jules Bordet (Brussels, Belgium) lead by Christos Sotiriou, M.D., Ph.D.; Erasmus University (Rotterdam, Netherlands) lead by Jan Klijn, M.D., Ph.D., and John Foekens, Ph.D; scientists of Veridex LLC (San Diego) lead by Yixin Wang, Ph.D.; and Nuvera Biosciences Inc. (Woburn, Mass.) lead by Christos Hatzis, Ph.D. Nuvera Biosciences is a start-up company launched by M. D. Anderson that has licensed the chemotherapy and endocrine therapy predictor technology.
Re-printed University of Texas Medical Center, News Release Copyright 2007

From Dale Eastman:

Deadline Komen Advocates in Review Extended to October 5!
To allow more advocates to participate as Komen Advocate Reviewers in our research grants review process, the application deadline has been extended to Friday,
October 5! Over the next several months, we will have multiple opportunities for participation. We look forward to hearing from you!

Komen Advocate in Review is an exciting opportunity to contribute to finding the cures! Susan G. Komen for the Cure Grants Program is seeking applications from breast cancer advocates interested in participating in the review of research applications. An Advocate must be a breast cancer survivor, or family member or partner of a breast cancer survivor, or health care professional working with breast cancer patients, or actively involved in a Komen Affiliate for least 3 years or otherwise actively involved in breast cancer advocacy at the local, state, regional, national, or international level. Advocates provide valuable input to the research review process by adding the perspective of the experience of breast cancer and the urgency of finding cures and ending breast cancer forever.

Individuals interested in becoming a Komen Advocate Reviewer must complete an application form that includes a 1-page statement of interest and arrange to have a letter of support submitted on their behalf. The application deadline for the FY08 funding cycle has been extended to October 5, 2007. Once selected, Advocate Reviewers will receive training, including a self-paced online course on basic cancer biology; a 3-hour Webinar describing Komen’s Grants Program; and a 1-hour Webinar providing training on Komen’s Web-based review system. Complete details on Komen Advocates in Review may be found at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Web site (http://komen.org) under the Grants Program tab.


From the NCCS (National Coalition of Cancer Survivors)

NCCS, along with 3 other top cancer advocacy organizations- the Gynecologic Cancer Foundation, The National Breast Cancer Coalition, and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance- will inspire women and their loved ones to move beyond awareness of women’s cancers and take action by making a difference in people’s lives in a televised event called "Frosted Pink."
The taping of Frosted Pink will be in Santa Monica, CA, on Saturday evening, October 6, 2007. The program will air on ABC television on Sunday, October 14, 2007 (4-6pm ET). To learn more visit http://www.frostedpink.org/

From Donna Fong:>;<;BR< span>>According to the National Cancer Institute, more than one million new cases of skin cancer (including basal cell and squamous cell) will be diagnosed in the US this year. That's not what I consider a sunny statistic. Even darker is that one type of skin cancer, melanoma, is by far the most deadly. It is estimated that around 60,000 new cases of melanoma will be diagnosed this year, and more than 8,000 people will die from the disease. But here's some blue sky. A report published last fall in The New England Journal of Medicine suggests that sentinel-node biopsy can improve some patients' chances of survival.

CURRENT MELANOMA CARE
Melanoma is graded in stages (0 to IV), where stage 0 generally involves only the top-most layer of skin... in stages I and II, the tumors are getting progressively thicker... in stage III, the cancer has spread beyond the tumor to one or more lymph nodes... and stage IV involves distant metastases, where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body.

Except in large, research-oriented cancer centers, the treatment for the early stages of melanoma usually consists of removing the tumor (cutting it out of the skin), followed by periodic check-ups to see if any of the lymph nodes are swollen, which is a signal that the cancer may have started to spread. If that happens, the patient undergoes a lymphadenectomy -- the surgical removal of the lymph nodes in the area (such as the armpit, groin or neck), which are then studied by a pathologist. If the cancer does not show signs of spreading, the patient simply remains under a doctor's supervision. But if the cancer is thought to have spread, additional treatments -- radiation, chemotherapy, etc. -- are often required.

The problem with this system? In some cases, the melanoma has already spread to the lymph nodes, even though the lymph nodes aren't swollen enough to be noticeable. That makes the "watch-and-wait" approach risky -- and makes sentinel node biopsy an attractive option. How attractive? In those who turned out to have nodal metastases, survival rate after delayed lymphadenectomy hovered just over 50%, while in those that had sentinel-node biopsy followed by immediate lymphadenectomy, the survival rate soared to 72%.

THE SENTINEL-NODE BIOPSY
With sentinel-node biopsy, a "tracer substance" (a radioactive substance and/or dye) is injected at the melanoma site prior to the tumor's removal. The physician then monitors which lymph node the material moves into first -- this is the sentinel node. During the surgery to remove the cancer, this node is also taken out so that it can be checked for cancer cells. If none are found, it's less likely the cancer has spread. If cancer cells are found, however, a more radical lymphadenectomy would be in order.

According to Andrew Spillane, MD, a surgical oncologist (and sentinel-node biopsy expert) at the Royal Prince Alfred and Mater Hospitals in Sydney, Australia, the major finding of the study is that there was a very significant difference in survival between the two pre-selected patient groups. (He also points out that the fact that the comparison of the two groups was not randomized has raised some criticisms of the study, but a randomized trial of the groups would have been impossible to achieve.) Plus, sentinel-node biopsy is performed when fewer lymph nodes are involved and usually less bulky than they would be during a delayed lymphadenectomy. This can mean a technically easier operation with potentially fewer complications. "These potential benefits have to be compared to the usually minimal risks associated with the sentinel-node biopsy procedure for all patients with moderate and high-risk melanomas," said Dr. Spillane.

While only 16% of the sentinel-node-biopsy patients had cancers that had spread, the higher survival rate (that astonishing 72%) due to earlier detection, combined with the decreased risk of complications, are enough to make sentinel-node biopsy a diagnostic treatment worth asking about.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
According to Dr. Spillane, if you or someone you care about has recently been diagnosed with melanoma and the cancer is greater than 1 mm thick, you may want to investigate a sentinel-node biopsy. That means not only asking your doctor about the procedure, but also asking how experienced the entire team -- surgeon, nuclear medicine specialist and pathologist -- is with the procedure. Melanoma is serious business, so don't hold back -- if your physician seems hesitant, it might be time to find someone else to work with. After all, early diagnosis and treatment are key to beating the disease -- and efficient, effective prognostic tests like sentinel-node biopsy to help determine treatment can up your odds.

Of course, I cannot talk about melanoma without talking about ways to reduce your risk of the disease in the first place. It's simple:

1. Avoid excessive sun exposure and sunburn. Use a sunblock with a minimum SPF of 15, every day if you'll be outside more than just a few minutes.
2. Pay attention to your skin. Check yourself regularly for any new moles or lesions, especially those that ooze, bleed or become ulcerated. Get regular skin-cancer screenings.
3. If a mole is changing in size, shape or color -- for example, if a mole seems larger or has jagged edges -- have it examined and biopsied.
For more information on skin cancer prevention and treatment, visit the
American Cancer Society Web site at www.cancer.org. And be safe out there!
Source(s):

Andrew Spillane, MD, a surgical oncologist and sentinel-node biopsy expert at the
Royal Prince Alfred and Mater Hospitals in Sydney, Australia.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAILY REMINDER #1:
"Fund Free Mammograms"
Go to The Breast Cancer Site at http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/tpc/EEB_0115_BCSm
and help fund free mammograms for the homeless, working-poor, and un-insured women. It costs nothing to you, except one daily click on the pink "Fund Free Mammograms" button. You can even request automatic reminders via e-mail. Please make your free click now, and thanks for your continuing support! The Breast Cancer Site, One Union Square, 600 University Street, Suite 1000, Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 1-888-811-5271
Note: GROW AWARENESS & HELP SAVE LIVES!
If we receive 4.5 million clicks in September, our premier
sponsor will fund an additional 100 FREE MAMMOGRAMS.
Please click daily!

DAILY REMINDER #2
Help eliminate Breast Cancer with a daily click at
http://breastcancer.care2.com/ebc-about.html
You'll be one of the first people to participate in the largest virtual mountain climb in the world! With every click, (or "step") you generate a donation to
eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer--for free. Sponsors pay for your click and fund The Breast Cancer Fund's programs focusing on environmental links to breast cancer. It only takes a second! The Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization focused on identifying – and advocating for the elimination of – the environmental and preventable causes of the disease. For more details on the organization’s work, visit www.breastcancerfund.org
------------------------------------------------------------------
UPCOMING EVENTS: Mark Your Calendars and Save the Dates!

PINK PLATTER 2007 KICK-OFF PARTY
You are invited to an appetizer and dessert reception introducing our new
selection of Artist Platters exclusively designed for Pink Platter 2007!
What: Pink Platter Kick-Off Party
When: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Where: Olio… 2414 Sunset – Valet Parking Available
Hors d'oeuvres are graciously provided by Abuso Catering Co.
Please RSVP to 713.524.PINK(7465) if you can attend.
We hope to see you there!

ROSEBUDS II MEETINGS
(For those who have had or are at high risk for recurrence
and/or metastasis) The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
2nd and 4th Thursday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 27
www.RosebudsSupport.org

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Don't miss the opportunity to purchase your copy of the book
and have it signed by the author, photographer and participants in the book.
September 27, 2007 from 2 - 4:00 pm and 6 - 8:00 pm
at be.lie.ve Breast care Boutique, 7301 Fannin Street, Houston.
See you then!

OLIO FUND RAISING EVENT
Olio, a design menagerie invites you to "tip your hat" in support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Houston Affiliate. The DARE is on! Don your fanciest fedora and let the good times roll for a very good cause.
A portion of the days sales will be donated back to Komen Houston.
Thursday, September 27, Doors open at 10am - 8 pm
Refreshments & Door Prizes throughout the day!
2414 Sunset Blvd., Houston, TX 77005 713-522-8816

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Monday, October 1, 2007 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Serenitea Tea Room, Sugar Land, Tx

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Tuesday, October 2, 2007 Time: 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Appearances Boutique, Mays Clinic, 2nd Floor
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

COURAGE NIGHT 2007 - Young Survivors Coalition (YSC) Houston
Spend an evening celebrating survivorship with friends and family at the Saint Arnold Brewery. There will be tours, food and adult beverages.
October 4, from 6;30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Saint Arnold Brewery
www.saintarnold.com

2007 SUSAN G. KOMEN HOUSTON RACE FOR THE CURE
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Houston Affiliate
Saturday, October 6, 2007 Sam Houston Park- Downtown
Race Day Schedule
7:45 a.m. Opening Ceremonies & Memorial Birds
8:00 a.m. Family Walk and Kids K by ConocoPhillips
8:15 a.m. 5K Coed Timed Competitive Run
8:25 a.m. 5K Coed Non-Competitive Run
8:35 a.m. 5K Coed Walk
9:15 a.m. Runners' Awards Ceremony
10:00 a.m. Awards Ceremony and Survivor Celebration
For more Information: Phone: (713) 783-9188 Fax: (713) 783-9187
http://www.komen-houston.org email:info@komen-houston.org

KNOCKOUT ROSES
A support group for women diagnosed under 40
2nd Monday of each month, @ 5:45
October 8, November 12, December 10
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Contact Amy Rigsby, Technical Director of The Rose
713-660-6675.

THE TEXAS KOMEN COMMUNITY CHALLENGE
The Komen Community Challenge is on a cross-country road trip, bringing our special brand of pink ribbon activism to 25 cities with a rallying cry to "close the gap" in funding for cancer research. Help us say it loud and clear in Texas! Come listen to live music, eat BBQ and wear pink in support of Proposition 15!

Our rally will feature inspirational speakers, a chance to meet and mingle with other breast cancer advocates survivors, community leaders and public officials from across the state and, of course, a call for all Texans to vote YES on Proposition 15 for the Cure on November 6th!We have made great strides in the fight against cancer, but we cannot lose momentum. We must continue to invest in finding the cures. Proposition 15 will create $300 million dollars a year for cancer control, prevention and research in Texas. We must make Texas the global leader in the fight to end breast cancer forever.

What: The Texas Komen Community Challenge - rally, live music and free BBQ
When: Wednesday, October 10, 6:00-9:00 p.m.
Where: Stubbs BBQ and Wallercreek Amphitheater - Downstairs Bar and Patio ~ 801 Red River, Austin, Texas 78701
Who: You and your friends and family - and make sure everyone wears pink!
Please RSVP today.

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Don't miss the opportunity to purchase your copy and have it
signed by the author, photographer and many of the book's participants.
Friday, October 12, at Saks Fifth Avenue, Galleria location, Houston.
Sponsored by Cellcosmet of Cellap Switzerland, in conjuntion with SAKS.
12:00 - 4:00 pm

2007 PINK ROSE BRUNCH & FASHION SHOW
Methodist Cancer Center Special Event
October 13, 10:30am - 1:30 pm
The Junior League, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston
Free Admission. Limited Space. Register at 713-790-2700

MARNIE ROCKS SHOPPING EVENT - YSC - Houston
Join us for a fun evening of shopping for a cause at Marnie's store! Marnie is a nationally famous jewelry designer with a breast cancer collection. The proceeds from this collection benefit YSC-Houston.
October 16, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Marnie Rocks Studio, 1415 S. Voss Road, Houston
www.marnierocks.com

2007 GREATER HOUSTON AREA BREAST HEALTH SUMMIT
Sponsors: Houston Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure and The Rose
When: Thursday, October 18, 2007; 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Where: United Way Community Resource Center, 50 Waugh Drive, Houston

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk
Saturday, October 20, 2007 Registration 8:00 am
Sam Houston Park, Downtown Houston Walk begins at 9:00 am
For more information visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline
Email: strides_houston@cancer.org Phone: 1-877-606-WALK

CAP HOLIDAY CARD SALES at MAYS CLINIC
Volunteer Services and The Children's Art Project (CAP) collaborate to better the lives of patients at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. For more than twenty-five years volunteers have assisted with Card Sales. Proceeds benefit M. D. Anderson's Pediatric and Adult Patient Programs. Volunteer Services is asking for volunteer assistance with the upcoming 2007 CAP - Holiday Card Sale at the Mays Clinic. Please contact Cindy Shursen, Program Coordinator - Volunteer Services, if you are available to assist during the below sale days / times.
Dates: November 5th -16th
Times frame: 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
Contact: Cindy Shursen
Phone: 713-745-0266
Email: cshursen@mdanderson.org

PRETTY IN LIVING PINK GALA - YSC - Houston
Annual Fund Raising event for the Young Survival Coalition - Houston Affiliate. Join us for a fun night of dinner and dancing 80's style - with live music and a silent auction! November 8, 6:30 pm
Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel Street, Houston

METASTATIC BREAST CANCER NETWORK
Finally, a national independent advocacy group of and for people with
metastatic breast cancer, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN). To
join and for information about this network visit www.MBCNetwork.org
Your membership in MBCN makes you a part of an important first step toward
bringing a new voice, a proactive voice, to the breast cancer community.
It is absolutely committed to you and makes the following pledge:
• We will honor your life by working together to fight for the development
of treatments that extend life as the search for the cure continues.
• We will protect your privacy and will never share your name or e-mail
address with any person or group.
• We will keep you informed of what we are doing to promote the concerns
of people living with advanced breast cancer.
Let our voices be heard!

November 17 - 18, 2007 Metastatic Breast Cancer Network 2nd Annual
National Conference, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Sponsored by Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi, Chairman of the Department of Breast
Medical Oncology. Registration will open in September on the MBCN web
site www.MBCNetwork.org MBCN’s 1st annual conference in 2006 was at
Sloan-Kettering in New York and was a great success with about 300
attendees.

THE ALICE THOMSEN LYMPHEDEMA AWARENESS GROUP of Houston Meetings are scheduled on the 3rd Tuesday of every other month at the American cancer Society Building,6301 Richmond (between Hillcroft and Fountainview) at 7:00pm. 2007. Next scheduled meeting is November 20th.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"SHARING is CARING"
As always, The Pink Crusader welcomes your comments, stories, poems, events and photographs!Posts are updated each week. Please send your written contributions to thepinkcrusader1@aol.com.

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.
-Erma Bombeck

Until next week stay strong, stay well and keep on dancing your troubles away!
SmileyCentral.com
Love, Josie
The Pink Crusader
thepinkcrusader1@aol.com

Monday, September 17, 2007

Have Book....Will Travel

Dear Blogger Family & Friends,

Hugs and double hugs from cyber-space! We are a bit late to post this week, but don't think that a little distance and jet lag would keep the Pink Crusader from her blogger babies!

"What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do - especially in other people's minds. When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road."
-William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways

Thank you for the warm wishes and happy send-off as the Pink Crusader embarks on The Faces behind Breast Cancer book tour, with proceeds to benefit M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Not sure if we are totally prepared, but then again we are as prepared as we will ever be. Someone said, "pack light and carry a lot of change," We can handle that.

Wish you could all come along. Happily, in between the comings and goings, we will often meet in the middle at our home base here in Houston. Looking forward to seeing many of you at local book-signing events as well!

Without further delay, here is the list of confirmed cities to date:

Fri. September 21 - Ohio
Cooper Art Gallery, Magnolia Ohio
Meet & Greet, Wine & Cheese Event - Evening

Sat. September 22 - Ohio
Borders Books, North Canton, Ohio
Book Sign 1 - 4 pm

Thur. September 27 - Houston, TX
be.lie.ve Lifestyle Boutique, 7301 Fannin, Houston
Book Sign with Author, Photographer & Participants
2:00 - 4:00 pm and 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Mon. October 1 - Houston, Tx
Great Day Houston! KHOU-TV Channel 11
Early morning appearance, top of the hour 9:00 am
Feature:Susan G. Komen 2007 Houston Race for the Cure

Mon. October 1 - Sugar Land, TX
Serenitea Tea Room, 13889 Southwest Freeway
Book Sign 11 am - 2 pm

Tue. October 2 - Houston, TX
Appearances Boutique, Mays Clinic, 2nd Floor
M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
Book Sign, 11 am - 2 pm

Thur. October 4 - Beverly Hills, CA
SAKS Book-Signing Event 12 - 2 pm

Fri. October 5 - Newport Beach, CA
SAKS Book-signing Event 12 - 2 pm

Wed. October 10 - Dallas, TX
SAKS Book-Signing Event 12 - 2 pm

Fri. October 12 - Houston, TX
SAKS Galleria
Book-Signing Event 12 - 4 pm
Author, Photographer & Participants

Thur. October 18 - New York City
Kick-off for Key for the Cure
SAKS Book-Signing Event 12 - 2 pm

Sat. October 20 - Tysons Corner, VA
SAKS Book-Signing Event 12 - 2 pm

Mon. October 22 - Houston, TX
Houston Junior League
Morning & Evening Sessions
Details TBA

Thur. October 25 - Cleveland, OH
Borders Books & Music
Lake View location
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Fri. October 26 - Cleveland, OH
Borders Books & Music
Beachwood location
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm

Jan 16, 2008 - Mexico City
SAKS Book-Signing Event 12 - 2 pm

Additional Cities TBA.
We will continue to update the book tour schedule on a weekly basis.
Please spread the word to come and see us when on the road. We look forward to meeting your extended family and friends during our travels.

Book Sales
Books are available for purchase at the following locations:

1)Through the web site at www.pinkcrusader.org

2)Appearances Boutique, Mays Clinic, 2nd Floor,
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

3)be.lie.ve Breast Care Boutique, 7301 Fannin Street, Houston, TX

4)Serenitea Tea Room, 13889 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land, Tx - Pre-orders

In addition, we are working with several other retailers for book distribution within the local area and throughout the United States. Stay tuned......

NEXT WEEK: Featured Publications for the Month of October
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
SURVIVOR UPDATE

Penny Andrea
What a great surprise to walk into Thursday's Rosebuds II support group meeting and finally see Penny reclaim her place at the table.
Welcome back, Penny! We've missed you and your wild sense of humor!

Argelia Lopez
Argelia continues to receive weekly chemotherapy and remains in good spirits. We know she is a true Scorpio and a strong fighter. Please keep Argelia in your prayers. Well-wishes can be sent to: Argelia@yahoo.com
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
FYI

From Rosemary Barr:
The Anderson Network is pleased to announce its newest program, the Pediatric Caregiver Telephone Support Network, scheduled to officially launch on Wednesday, September 19, in honor of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. In collaboration with the Children's Cancer Hospital at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the Anderson Network has created the telephone network to provide hope and support to those caring for children diagnosed with cancer by connecting them with other pediatric caregivers and survivors of childhood cancers who have had similar experiences or diagnosis. For more information please visit the web site at www.mdanderson.org/andersonnetwork.com or call toll-free at 800-345-6324.

From Donna Fong:
Targeted drug combos could outsmart cancer
Thu Sep 13, 2007 4:42 PM ET

By Julie Steenhuysen
CHICAGO (Reuters) - Cancer cells often have a way of outsmarting new targeted drug therapies, but U.S. researchers said on Thursday a combination of targeted drugs could shut down a tumor's backup plan, resulting in much more effective treatments.

A number of these so-called targeted cancer drugs -- such as Roche's Tarceva and Novartis' Gleevec -- work by blocking the activity of various protein switches that tell the cell to grow. They are known as receptor tyrosine kinases or RTKs. "They essentially allow the cell to communicate with the external world to sense growth factors that could maintain the survival of a cancer cell," said Dr. Ronald DePinho of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, whose study appears in the journal Science.These protein switches are on the surface of all cells, and they go haywire in a number of cancers.

Drugs that target a single switch have transformed the treatment of some patients with certain cancers -- for instance, Gleevec and chronic myelogenous leukemia. But they only work in a small percentage of people. And certain tumors, including the aggressive brain cancer glioblastoma multiforme, respond poorly to such drugs.

DePinho and colleagues now believe they know why. His team studied 20 different batches of glioblastoma cells in the lab and found that many growth switches were flipped on at once. In 19 of the 20 cell lines, three or more were switched on. They tested tumor samples from newly diagnosed cancer patients and got a similar result.

"We found there was a multitude of activated receptor tyrosine kinases," DePinho said in a telephone interview. "When you would extinguish one with a specific targeted agent, the other ones would simply step in."

'BROADLY APPLICABLE'
When they tried Gleevec, known generically as imatinib, it had little effect on the cells. But when they combined it with two other drugs -- Tarceva, known generically as erlotinib, and Pfizer's SU-11274 -- the growth signal was shut down and the cancer cells died.

"It's a very important observation scientifically and it has immediate clinical implications," DePinho said. "This is broadly applicable. This paradigm is true for virtually all solid tumors that we've looked at."

He and colleagues hope to start testing combinations of these targeted therapies in patients. A person's tumors would be profiled first to determine which signals are active, and then doctors would pick a drug combination that would work best. DePinho said it would take some time to get these therapies to cancer patients because the drugs used in combination might turn out to be toxic.

He agreed that a cocktail of targeted drugs would be costly. Tarceva -- approved to treat lung and pancreatic cancer -- costs around $3,000 for a 30-day supply. But he said one of the reasons for the drugs' current high cost is the high failure rate of drug development. "If we can use science ... to design better clinical trials, the costs will be a lot less," DePinho said.
© Copyright Reuters 2007All rights reserved. Users may download and print extracts of content from this website for their own personal and non-commercial use only.
© Reuters 2007. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by caching, framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAILY REMINDER #1:
"Fund Free Mammograms"
Go to The Breast Cancer Site at http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/tpc/EEB_0115_BCSm
and help fund free mammograms for the homeless, working-poor, and un-insured women. It costs nothing to you, except one daily click on the pink "Fund Free Mammograms" button. You can even request automatic reminders via e-mail. Please make your free click now, and thanks for your continuing support! The Breast Cancer Site, One Union Square, 600 University Street, Suite 1000, Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 1-888-811-5271
Note: GROW AWARENESS & HELP SAVE LIVES!
If we receive 4.5 million clicks in September, our premier
sponsor will fund an additional 100 FREE MAMMOGRAMS.
Please click daily!

DAILY REMINDER #2
Help eliminate Breast Cancer with a daily click at
http://breastcancer.care2.com/ebc-about.html
You'll be one of the first people to participate in the largest virtual mountain climb in the world! With every click, (or "step") you generate a donation to
eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer--for free. Sponsors pay for your click and fund The Breast Cancer Fund's programs focusing on environmental links to breast cancer. It only takes a second! The Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization focused on identifying – and advocating for the elimination of – the environmental and preventable causes of the disease. For more details on the organization’s work, visit www.breastcancerfund.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
UPCOMING EVENTS: Mark Your Calendars and Save the Dates!

ROSEBUDS MEETINGS
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Open to all Breast Cancer Patients/Survivors
1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 18
www.RosebudsSupport.org
We look forward to seeing you!

THE WISDOM OF WIT
An artistic portrayal of Life, Relationships & the Human Spirit
Tuesday, September 18
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Cancer Prevention Building, 8th Floor Conference Center
5:30 pm Check-In
6:00 pm Program & Discussion
Register by e-mail or Call: 713-745-0549
Visit: www.mdanderson.org/publiceducation

THE ALICE THOMSEN LYMPHEDEMA AWARENESS GROUP of Houston Meetings are scheduled on the 3rd Tuesday of every other month at the American cancer Society Building,6301 Richmond (between Hillcroft and Fountainview) at 7:00pm. 2007 dates are September 18 and November 20th.
Tuesday 18 September 2007 Special Program:
Amy Stanley has been a fitness instructor for 20 years and a Pilate’s instructor for 10. Amy is going to share with us some activities, which we can do daily to
improve our strength, flexibility and well-being.
Wear comfortable clothing to participate in her exercises.
For further information call 281-546-6438.

CANCERCARE MEDICAL UPDATE on METASTATIC BREAST CANCER
Telephone Education Workshop
Thursday, September 20, 2007, 3-4pm EST
Speakers: Joyce O'Shaughnessy, M.D., Co-Director Breast Cancer Research Program Baylor-Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Texas Oncology
Patricia Spicer, MSW, Breast Cancer Program Coordinator, Cancer Care
For more information, call CancerCare at 1-800-813-HOPE (4673)
Or register online at www.cancercare.org

CELLCOSMET & CELLMEN of SWITZERLAND & SAKS FIFTH AVE
Sponsors of The Faces behind Breast Cancer book tour,
Invite you to celebrate the 1st Anniversary of the launch
of Cellcosmet and Cellmen at the Galleria location, Houston
September 21, 2007 from 1 - 3pm. Bring a friend and enjoy
champagne, cake and more, including a deluxe gift from Cellcosmet.
Store Number: 713-843-5834

PINK PLATTER 2007 Kick-Off Party
You are invited to an appetizer and dessert reception introducing our
new selection of Artist Platters exclusively designed for Pink Platter 2007!
We would be honored to have you and your friends attend.
What: Pink Platter Kick-Off Party
When: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 - 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Where: Olio… 2414 Sunset – Valet Parking Available
Hors d'oeuvres are graciously provided by Abuso Catering Co.
Please RSVP to 713.524.PINK(7465) if you can attend.
We hope to see you there!

ROSEBUDS II MEETINGS
(For those who have had or are at high risk for recurrence
and/or metastasis) The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
2nd and 4th Thursday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 27
www.RosebudsSupport.org

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Don't miss the opportunity to purchase your copy of the book
and have it signed by the author, photographer and participants in the book.
September 27, 2007 from 2 - 4:00 pm and 6 - 8:00 pm
at be.lie.ve Breast care Boutique, 7301 Fannin Street, Houston.
See you then!

OLIO FUND RAISING EVENT
Olio, a design menagerie invites you to "tip your hat" in support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Houston Affiliate. The DARE is on! Don your fanciest fedora and let the good times roll for a very good cause.
A portion of the days sales will be donated back to Komen Houston.
Thursday, September 27, Doors open at 10am - 8 pm
Refreshments & Door Prizes throughout the day!
2414 Sunset Blvd., Houston, TX 77005 713-522-8816

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Monday, October 1, 2007 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
Serenitea Tea Room, Sugar Land, Tx

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Tuesday, October 2, 2007 Time: TBA
Appearances Boutique, Mays Clinic, 2nd Floor
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

COURAGE NIGHT 2007 - Young Survivors Coalition (YSC) Houston
Spend an evening celebrating survivorship with friends and family at the Saint Arnold Brewery. There will be tours, food and adult beverages.
October 4, from 6;30 pm to 8:30 pm at the Saint Arnold Brewery
www.saintarnold.com

2007 SUSAN G. KOMEN HOUSTON RACE FOR THE CURE
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Houston Affiliate
Saturday, October 6, 2007 Sam Houston Park- Downtown
Race Day Schedule
7:45 a.m. Opening Ceremonies & Memorial Birds
8:00 a.m. Family Walk and Kids K by ConocoPhillips
8:15 a.m. 5K Coed Timed Competitive Run
8:25 a.m. 5K Coed Non-Competitive Run
8:35 a.m. 5K Coed Walk
9:15 a.m. Runners' Awards Ceremony
10:00 a.m. Awards Ceremony and Survivor Celebration
For more Information: Phone: (713) 783-9188 Fax: (713) 783-9187
http://www.komen-houston.org email:info@komen-houston.org

KNOCKOUT ROSES
A support group for women diagnosed under 40
2nd Monday of each month, @ 5:45
October 8, November 12, December 10
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Contact Amy Rigsby, Technical Director of The Rose
713-660-6675.

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Don't miss the opportunity to purchase your copy and have it
signed by the author, photographer and many of the book's participants.
Friday, October 12, at Saks Fifth Avenue, Galleria location, Houston.
Sponsored by Cellcosmet of Cellap Switzerland, in conjuntion with SAKS.
12:00 - 4:00 pm

2007 PINK ROSE BRUNCH & FASHION SHOW
Methodist Cancer Center Special Event
October 13, 10:30am - 1:30 pm
The Junior League, 1811 Briar Oaks Lane, Houston
Free Admission. Limited Space. Register at 713-790-2700

MARNIE ROCKS SHOPPING EVENT - YSC - Houston
Join us for a fun evening of shopping for a cause at Marnie's store! Marnie is a nationally famous jewelry designer with a breast cancer collection. The proceeds from this collection benefit YSC-Houston.
October 16, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Marnie Rocks Studio, 1415 S. Voss Road, Houston
www.marnierocks.com

2007 GREATER HOUSTON AREA BREAST HEALTH SUMMIT
Sponsors: Houston Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure and The Rose
When: Thursday, October 18, 2007; 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Where: United Way Community Resource Center, 50 Waugh Drive, Houston

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk
Saturday, October 20, 2007 Registration 8:00 am
Sam Houston Park, Downtown Houston Walk begins at 9:00 am
For more information visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline
Email: strides_houston@cancer.org Phone: 1-877-606-WALK

CAP HOLIDAY CARD SALES at MAYS CLINIC
Volunteer Services and The Children's Art Project (CAP) collaborate to better the lives of patients at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. For more than twenty-five years volunteers have assisted with Card Sales. Proceeds benefit M. D. Anderson's Pediatric and Adult Patient Programs. Volunteer Services is asking for volunteer assistance with the upcoming 2007 CAP - Holiday Card Sale at the Mays Clinic. Please contact Cindy Shursen, Program Coordinator - Volunteer Services, if you are available to assist during the below sale days / times.
Dates: November 5th -16th
Times frame: 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
Contact: Cindy Shursen
Phone: 713-745-0266
Email: cshursen@mdanderson.org

PRETTY IN LIVING PINK GALA - YSC - Houston
Annual Fund Raising event for the Young Survival Coalition - Houston Affiliate. Join us for a fun night of dinner and dancing 80's style - with live music and a silent auction! November 8, 6:30 pm
Warehouse Live, 813 St. Emanuel Street, Houston

METASTATIC BREAST CANCER NETWORK
Finally, a national independent advocacy group of and for people with
metastatic breast cancer, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN). To
join and for information about this network visit www.MBCNetwork.org
Your membership in MBCN makes you a part of an important first step toward
bringing a new voice, a proactive voice, to the breast cancer community.
It is absolutely committed to you and makes the following pledge:
• We will honor your life by working together to fight for the development
of treatments that extend life as the search for the cure continues.
• We will protect your privacy and will never share your name or e-mail
address with any person or group.
• We will keep you informed of what we are doing to promote the concerns
of people living with advanced breast cancer.
Let our voices be heard!

November 17 - 18, 2007 Metastatic Breast Cancer Network 2nd Annual
National Conference, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Sponsored by Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi, Chairman of the Department of Breast
Medical Oncology. Registration will open in September on the MBCN web
site www.MBCNetwork.org MBCN’s 1st annual conference in 2006 was at
Sloan-Kettering in New York and was a great success with about 300
attendees.

"SHARING is CARING"
As always, The Pink Crusader welcomes your comments, stories, poems, events and photographs!Posts are updated every Sunday. Please send your written contributions to thepinkcrusader1@aol.com.

"It is not down in any map; true places never are."

-Herman Melville

Until next week stay strong, stay well and keep on dancing but don't get lost!
SmileyCentral.com
Love, Josie
The Pink Crusader
thepinkcrusader1@aol.com

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Spreading Hope

Dear Blogger Family & Friends,

A great big ol' Texas "howdy" from the Pink Crusader Blog Spot, one of the busiest sites in the blogosphere! We are so glad you stopped by. Sit and visit as long as you like. Now, will that be one or two hugs with your cup of tea?

"Cancer is a disease where the patient can contribute a great deal of help himself if he or she can retain their morale and their hopes."
- George Carman

New York City and Grand Central Station had nothing on us this week, as Houston played host to two major events and welcomed visitors from all over North America. In spite of suffering from "event exhaustion", the Pink Crusader will attempt to recapture some of the memorable highlights from the past five days and share them with you in this week's post.

Okay, my little babies, time to saddle up and move this horsie along! Giddyap!

Event #1 LIVING FULLY WITH AND BEYOND CANCER
M.D. Anderson Network's 19th Annual Patient and Caregiver Conference
took place on September 6-8 2007, at the Houston Marriott Westchase. Approximately 600 guests, representing the United States and Canada, joined together in celebrating this year's theme, "The Power of Hope."

Kudos to Conference Chairperson, Janice Duplessis, Co-Chair Mary Kay Dauria, and the entire Conference Planning Committee for a beautifully executed program. In addition, the behind-the-scenes logistics were managed by many Network volunteers who maneuvered things effortlessly.

Attendees were treated to just the right blend of Speakers, Panelists, Exhibits and Breakout Sessions. We especially enjoyed Friday's keynote speaker Vince Papale, former NFL Player for the Philadelphia Eagles, colon cancer survivor, author of "Hold Fast to Your Dreams," and subject of the recent biographical movie, "Invincible."

Mr. Papale stressed the importance of pursuing one's dreams in spite of adversity. He used his own life as an example...having overcome poverty, his mother's mental illness and being a social outcast. He encouraged the crowd to dream big and never give in to fears, doubt, or serious illness which may hinder the process of reaching one's goals.

On Friday evening, attendees were treated to the hysterically funny comedienne (and former Miss North Carolina) Jeanne Robertson. Jeanne brought down the house with her humorous spin on real-life stories and observations. She emphasized the need for daily laughter as an essential element for coping with life's ups and downs.

Special congratulations to fellow Rosebud Ann Nette Pearce, for being honored with the 17th annual Joseph T. Painter award in recognition of her exceptional contributions to patient networking activities and support. It should be noted that presently there are 1,300 members in the Anderson Network, and we are all thrilled that Ann Nette was recognized as the best of the best.

The program came to a conclusion on Saturday morning with a delightful luncheon featuring Dr. Julie Silver, author of Healing with Grace: Tips on Surviving and Thriving after a Cancer Diagnosis. Dr. Silver's presentation was made possible through the Beth Sanders Moore Lectureship Series..... And, did we mention that second helping of yummy chocolate cake at lunch?(B.Kaye "encouraged" me do it!)

On a personal note, the Pink Crusader was thrilled to greet so many new faces along with many familiar ones from the local cancer community. There was a continuous parade of people who passed by over a three day period and we hope some new friends were established in the process.

Event #2 TOUR DE PINK 2007
On this day, September 9, 2007, cyclists from varied locations met at Texas A&M, Prairie View Campus, for the Third Annual Tour de Pink. This event, hosted by the Pink Ribbons Project and sponsored by Compass Bank, is the only Texas bike ride solely benefiting breast cancer. The course offers 12, 23, 47, 63, 80 and 100 mile routes for cyclists of all levels. Congratulations to fellow Rosebud Barbara Nelson on successfully completing the 47K ride. What an amazing athlete, woman & survivor!

The event was heavily attended in spite of the early morning showers. (Good Friend Cheryl Donlin and daughter Kellie were the first to greet us upon arrival.) And thanks to an amazing group of determined cyclists, they had collectively raised $230,000 dollars as of 1:00pm on Sunday! Our guess is that the pot will grow considerably larger over the next week, and we congratulate Executive Director Susan Rafte and the Pink Ribbons Project for another hugely successful event.
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FYI

From Cheryl P. Donlin:

Pink Ribbons Project is hosting another Open Journal show on KPFT 90.1 FM on Wednesday, September 12. The show airs from 12:05 and 12:55 pm. The topic will be the Breast Health Summit at the United Way on October 18. Susan Rafte, executive director of Pink Ribbons Project, will host and I will be co-hosting. Our guests will be Michele Ostrander, executive director of Susan G. Komen for the Cure - Houston, Dorothy Gibbons, C.E.O of The Rose Diagnostic Clinics and , Dr. Noushin Izadifar Hart, a radiation oncologist with special interest in breast cancer, from Memorial Hermann - The Woodlands. (There's more information and a great short interview video with Dr. Noushin from a Great Day Houston show at: http://www.woodlandsonline.com/cdps/cditem.cfm?nid=5826)

Pink Ribbons Project encourages everyone to tune in to KPFT 90.1 FM, on Wednesday, September 12, at 12:05 pm to hear an enlightening discussion of the history, goals and purposes of the Breast Health Summit. If you can't listen to the show live, you can go to the KPFT Audio Archives page at http://archive.kpft.org/ and listen to the show online, or download it for later.

We also encourage those of you who do listen to fill out the short Program Evaluation form on the KPFT website: www.kpft.org. You'll find the link to it in the right-hand column of the home page. Feedback from listeners is very important in helping us secure another Open Journal spot to address other issues important to the breast cancer community. So, thank you in advance!

Work. Create. Grow. Give.
Cheryl P. Donlin
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DAILY REMINDER #1:
"Fund Free Mammograms"
Go to The Breast Cancer Site at http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/tpc/EEB_0115_BCSm
and help fund free mammograms for the homeless, working-poor, and un-insured women. It costs nothing to you, except one daily click on the pink "Fund Free Mammograms" button. You can even request automatic reminders via e-mail. Please make your free click now, and thanks for your continuing support! The Breast Cancer Site, One Union Square, 600 University Street, Suite 1000, Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 1-888-811-5271
Note: GROW AWARENESS & HELP SAVE LIVES!
If we receive 4.5 million clicks in September, our premier
sponsor will fund an additional 100 FREE MAMMOGRAMS.
Please click daily!

DAILY REMINDER #2
Help eliminate Breast Cancer with a daily click at
http://breastcancer.care2.com/ebc-about.html
You'll be one of the first people to participate in the largest virtual mountain climb in the world! With every click, (or "step") you generate a donation to
eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer--for free. Sponsors pay for your click and fund The Breast Cancer Fund's programs focusing on environmental links to breast cancer. It only takes a second! The Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization focused on identifying – and advocating for the elimination of – the environmental and preventable causes of the disease. For more details on the organization’s work, visit www.breastcancerfund.org
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UPCOMING EVENTS: Mark Your Calendars and Save the Dates!

KNOCKOUT ROSES
A support group for women diagnosed under 40
2nd Monday of each month, @ 5:45
September 10, October 8, November 12, December 10
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Contact Amy Rigsby, Technical Director of The Rose
713-660-6675.

SOS SUPPORT GROUP (Survivors Offering Support)
2nd Tuesday of each month, Holy Cross Church in New Territory
The SOS Suport Group will reconvene for the first meeting of the new
season on September 11, from 7-9 pm. Newcomers from the Fort Bend
area are welcome to attend.
Directions to the Church: From the corner intersection of Hwy 6 and Hwy 59: Continue South on Hwy 59. Exit at Grand Parkway-Texas 99. You will go by an H.E.B. grocery store on the right as you turn right at a traffic light to get on the Grand Parkway. Proceed to the next traffic light (River Park Drive). Turn left. You will be facing the church. Go through the next intersection (traffic light at Texas 99) and park in the church parking lot. The address is 5653 West River Park Drive. If coming from New Territory: Go to the intersection of New Territory Blvd. and Texas 99. Turn South on to Texas 99. River Park Drive is one intersection (traffic light) past New Territory Blvd. Turn right at that intersection. If coming from 90A: Turn at intersection of 90A and Texas 99 (Grand Parkway). Go South on Grand Parkway, passing Sand Hill Blvd. and New Territory Blvd. Next intersection is River Park Drive. Turn right. Church is right there.

ROSEBUDS II MEETINGS
(For those who have had or are at high risk for recurrence
and/or metastasis) The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
2nd and 4th Thursday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 13 & 27
www.RosebudsSupport.org

INTRODUCING be.lie.ve Boutique(formerly known as OPAm)
Join in an open-house celebration of the new name
with Champagne & Cupcakes on Thursday, September 13, 2007
4:00 - 7:00 pm, 7301 Fannin Street, Houston, Tx
Introducing Abi Ferrin, Barbara Biel, Bartlett Street Paperie,
Rebecca Lankford, and Smiley. Kindly reply at 713-843-7714
or email Kimberly Powell at kappyannette@yahoo.com

ROSEBUDS MEETINGS
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Open to all Breast Cancer Patients/Survivors
1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 18
www.RosebudsSupport.org
We look forward to seeing you!

THE WISDOM OF WIT
An artistic portrayal of Life, Relationships & the Human Spirit
Tuesday, September 18
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Cancer Prevention Building, 8th Floor Conference Center
5:30 pm Check-In
6:00 pm Program & Discussion
Register by e-mail or Call: 713-745-0549
Visit: www.mdanderson.org/publiceducation

THE ALICE THOMSEN LYMPHEDEMA AWARENESS GROUP of HOUSTON Meetings are scheduled on the 3rd Tuesday of every other month at the American cancer Society Building,6301 Richmond (between Hillcroft and Fountainview) at 7:00pm. The 2007 dates are September 18 and November 20th. For further information call 281-546-6438.

CANCERCARE MEDICAL UPDATE on METASTATIC BREAST CANCER
Telephone Education Workshop
Thursday, September 20, 2007, 3-4pm EST
Speakers: Joyce O'Shaughnessy, M.D., Co-Director Breast Cancer Research Program Baylor-Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Texas Oncology
Patricia Spicer, MSW, Breast Cancer Program Coordinator, Cancer Care
For more information, call CancerCare at 1-800-813-HOPE (4673)
Or register online at www.cancercare.org

CELLCOSMET & CELLMEN of SWITZERLAND & SAKS FIFTH AVE
Sponsors of The Faces behind Breast Cancer book tour,
Invite you to celebrate the 1st Anniversary of the launch
of Cellcosmet and Cellmen at the Galleria location, Houston
September 21, 2007 from 1 - 3pm. Bring a friend and enjoy
champagne, cake and more, including a deluxe gift from Cellcosmet.
Store Number: 713-843-5834

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Don't miss the opportunity to purchase your copy of the book
and have it signed by the author, photographer and participants in the book.
September 27, 2007 from 2 - 4:00 pm and 6 - 8:00 pm
at be.lie.ve Breast care Boutique, 7301 Fannin Street, Houston.
See you then!

OLIO FUND RAISING EVENT
Olio, a design menagerie invites you to "tip your hat" in support of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Houston Affiliate. The DARE is on! Don your fanciest fedora and let the good times roll for a very good cause.
A portion of the days sales will be donated back to Komen Houston.
Thursday, September 27, Doors open at 10am - 8 pm Refreshments & Door Prizes!
2414 Sunset Blvd.
Houston, TX 77005
713-522-8816

2007 SUSAN G. KOMEN HOUSTON RACE FOR THE CURE
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Houston Affiliate
Saturday, October 6, 2007 Sam Houston Park- Downtown
Race Day Schedule
7:45 a.m. Opening Ceremonies & Memorial Birds
8:00 a.m. Family Walk and Kids K by ConocoPhillips
8:15 a.m. 5K Coed Timed Competitive Run
8:25 a.m. 5K Coed Non-Competitive Run
8:35 a.m. 5K Coed Walk
9:15 a.m. Runners' Awards Ceremony
10:00 a.m. Awards Ceremony and Survivor Celebration
For more Information: Phone: (713) 783-9188 Fax: (713) 783-9187
http://www.komen-houston.org email:info@komen-houston.org

THE FACES BEHIND BREAST CANCER BOOK-SIGNING EVENT
Don't miss the opportunity to purchase your copy and have it
signed by the author, photographer and many of the book's participants.
Friday, October 12, at Saks Fifth Avenue, Galleria location, Houston.
Sponsored by Cellcosmet of Cellap Switzerland, in conjuntion with SAKS.
12:00 - 2:00 pm

2007 GREATER HOUSTON AREA BREAST HEALTH SUMMIT
Sponsors: Houston Affiliate Susan G. Komen for the Cure and The Rose
When: Thursday, October 18, 2007; 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Where: United Way Community Resource Center, 50 Waugh Drive, Houston, TX

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk
Saturday, October 20, 2007 Registration 8:00 am
Sam Houston Park, Downtown Houston Walk begins at 9:00 am
For more information visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline
Email: strides_houston@cancer.org Phone: 1-877-606-WALK

CAP HOLIDAY CARD SALES at MAYS CLINIC
Volunteer Services and The Children's Art Project (CAP) collaborate to better the lives of patients at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. For more than twenty-five years volunteers have assisted with Card Sales. Proceeds benefit M. D. Anderson's Pediatric and Adult Patient Programs. Volunteer Services is asking for volunteer assistance with the upcoming 2007 CAP - Holiday Card Sale at the Mays Clinic. Please contact Cindy Shursen, Program Coordinator - Volunteer Services, if you are available to assist during the below sale days / times.
Dates: November 5th -16th
Times frame: 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
Contact: Cindy Shursen
Phone: 713-745-0266
Email: cshursen@mdanderson.org

METASTATIC BREAST CANCER NETWORK
Finally, a national independent advocacy group of and for people with
metastatic breast cancer, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN). To
join and for information about this network visit www.MBCNetwork.org
Your membership in MBCN makes you a part of an important first step toward
bringing a new voice, a proactive voice, to the breast cancer community.
It is absolutely committed to you and makes the following pledge:
• We will honor your life by working together to fight for the development
of treatments that extend life as the search for the cure continues.
• We will protect your privacy and will never share your name or e-mail
address with any person or group.
• We will keep you informed of what we are doing to promote the concerns
of people living with advanced breast cancer.
Let our voices be heard!

November 17 - 18, 2007 Metastatic Breast Cancer Network 2nd Annual
National Conference, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Sponsored by Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi, Chairman of the Department of Breast
Medical Oncology. Registration will open in September on the MBCN web
site www.MBCNetwork.org MBCN’s 1st annual conference in 2006 was at
Sloan-Kettering in New York and was a great success with about 300
attendees.

"SHARING is CARING"
As always, The Pink Crusader welcomes your comments, stories, poems, events and photographs!Posts are updated every Sunday. Please send your written contributions to thepinkcrusader1@aol.com.

"Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all."
- Dale Carnegie

Until next week stay strong, stay well and keep on dancing but never forget.
SmileyCentral.com
Love, Josie
The Pink Crusader
thepinkcrusader1@aol.com

Sunday, September 2, 2007

And Away We Go!

Dear Blogger Family & Friends,

Hello-o-o-o-o-o and welcome to the Pink Crusader blog spot! Here's a big hug to go with your cute little umbrella drink. Sorry to be shouting, but we're competing with the noisy sizzle of the backyard barb-b-que along with the loud book buzz from the community at large. Grab some taco dip and find a sunny spot by the pool. We're about to replay the highlights of last week's Launch Party and fund raising event for The Faces behind Breast Cancer, benefiting M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this."
- Henry David Thoreau

Greetings this lazy Labor Day weekend! You may have noticed that The Pink Crusader was missing in action last week. We plead guilty, but only to catching-up on a few lost z-z-z-z-z's. We have since recovered from the Launch Party and public debut of The Faces behind Breast Cancer, and would like to share some of the highlights and photos with you now.

On Sunday afternoon,August 26, 2007, 260 combined participants and guests, 8 vendors and 1 major sponsor, came together at the Houston Marriott Westchase to celebrate the arrival of The Faces behind Breast Cancer. Amazingly, nearly all of the book's 80 participants were in attendance, in addition to the author (hello), photographer (Jack Opatrany) and make-up artist (Athena Laster). It was a touching display of support and solidarity at this family-friendly gathering, following nearly one and a half years of planning, preparation and completion.

Numero Uno son, Dalip S. Sethi, officiated the program as Master of Ceremonies, making his parents proud to be....well, his parents! The program began with the Opening Prayer and inspirational remarks by Dr. George H. Perkins, Radiation Oncologist at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, and contributor to The Faces behind Breast Cancer. Dr. Perkins shared some thoughtful comments about doctor-patient dynamics and how it plays a role in the recovery process. He also passed along his personal perspective of the book. This was followed by a lovely sit-down brunch.

Next up, the audience was treated to personal testimonies from the program's three engaging and enthusiastic speakers: Cheryl P. Donlin, breast cancer survivor and Board Member Pink Ribbons Project, in motion against breast cancer; Doug Ustick, attorney and male breast cancer survivor; and keynote speaker, Patty Jennings, Executive Director, New Mexico Medical Insurance Pool, breast cancer survivor, advocate, mother of 5 and wife of Senator Tim Jennings (New Mexico).

Individually, each speaker captured the essence of their unique cancer journey and offered words of hope and encouragement to others. Collectively they conveyed the importance of emotional healing as well as physical healing, and how the support of family and loved ones can have a positive impact on the overall process.

Following the speakers, our program line-up took a different turn with the presentation of a Tribute Video. The emotional video montage by friend Blane Smith of WABC-New York, honored all of the book participants and was dedicated in loving memory to Juli Gardner and Julie Maas, two participants who passed away prior to publication. It was especially touching to have Juli's husband Russ Gardner in attendance along with sons Zachary and Miles and daughter Jessica, who also appears in the book.

The program then changed directions once again with a lively and spirited performance by the M. D. Anderson Celebration Singers, conducted by Michael M. Richardson, MT-BC, Musical Therapist at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The final number involved audience participation which is always fun.

The Closing Remarks were given by yours truly (hello again), and included a fabulous announcement from Susan Steitzer, Vice President and General Manger of the North American division of Cellcosmet of Cellap Switzerland, our major sponsor. Ms. Steitzer announced that her company, in conjunction with specified locations of Saks Fifth Avenue, will sponsor a multi-city book tour of The Faces Behind Breast Cancer. The tour will begin the first week of October and include events in Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Newport Beach, New York City, Chevy Chase MD, Tyson Corner VA, and Mexico City. Details will soon be posted on the website at www.pinkcrusader.org with updates in future blog posts.

Please note: Book participants are invited to appear at these events and wherever possible. Dallas Event - Oct. 11 Houston Event Oct. 12

The afternoon program came to a conclusion with a book-signing opportunity featuring the author, photographer and available participants. FYI: Additional books can be purchased via the website at www.pinkcrusader.org.

On a personal note, the Pink Crusader must once again extend a heartfelt word of thanks to everyone, and I mean EVERYONE who took the leap of faith and committed to this project from its inception. We remain grateful for all the trust, love and support directed toward the book. In the end, we hope you are satisfied and pleased to be associated with the finished product.

We also hope that you enjoyed the party and walked away with many happy memories of the day's events. Special thanks to the management and staff of the Marriott Westchase for taking such good care of family, friends and guests during their 3-day stay, along with an additional word of thanks to Cellcosmet of Cellap Switzerland for providing the generous gift bags of skin care products (retail value $150 each)to all in attendance. And, for those of you who asked, my trendy, hot pink "Lymphe-DIVA" compression sleeves were provided by be~LIE~ve Breast Care boutique. To inquire about these medically approved garmets as well as other specialty items, call the shop at 713.843.7714 or visit the website at www.OPAmBoutique.com.
SIDE NOTE:be~LIE~ve Breast Care boutique will sponsor a book-signing event on September 27th and invite all book participants to come and autograph books at that time. Details TBA.

We also thank members of the press (Houston Chronicle, Houston Magazine and Fort Bend Focus) for taking the time to cover our Launch Party. Here is the link to the article which ran in Monday's edition of the Houston Chronicle.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5084992.html

And finally, to my father (a.k.a. Papa Bear), late mother, family and friends (many of whom traveled great distances to partake in the celebration and many of whom were with us in spirit), we can only say, "God is Good. We are surely humbled by the many blessings."
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WEEKLY CONTRIBUTION

This week's written contribution comes from good friend and fellow survivor,
Cheryl P. Donlin.

Cheryl writes:

Scarred for Life?
or
My Body, My Hero

Treatment for breast cancer can be brutal. It is an intense physical, mental, emotional and spiritual challenge. It changes us in ways we can’t imagine.

After my left-breast mastectomy and TRAM flap reconstruction surgeries were completed, and my body was healing, I began really looking at my changed body in the mirror. My first reaction was amazement.I was amazed at what my body could take and still have the strength to heal and to function.

At the same time, while intensely interested, I felt a clinical detachment – keenly observing how the surgeon had done his thing. I noted the neat seams at the surgery site and the expert piecing together of skin from my abdomen to my new breast, filling in the circle where my aureole and nipple used to be.(In a former life,I’d done a lot of hand-sewing,so I could appreciate a smooth seam when I saw one.)

Oddly enough, since I was a very private person, I found myself showing it – my new breast – to my daughter and sister as if it were not a part of me at all, but something other. Where, oh where, had my modesty gone?!?

Thus began the building of a new post-surgery relationship with my body. Things as simple as wearing normal clothes presented some challenges. Without a nipple on the left, wearing t-shirts and light clothing created a mismatched pattern: a smooth circle on the left and a nipple bump on the right. An imbalance that might fly in contemporary art, but that seemed to disconcert many people I interacted with
day-to-day.

At first, I tried subterfuge, using a gauze pad over my nipple to fake a smooth appearance that was, at least, a match to the left breast. But that felt fake and was a lot of trouble. Besides, philosophically, it was troublesome: why was I altering the unaltered, unremade me? For whom? So, I abandoned the camouflage approach and, throwing caution to the winds, adopted a viewer beware attitude that seems to be working for me.

The more I interacted with my beat-up, post-surgery body, the more I began to feel a real tenderness for it that I had not felt for my pre-surgery body. Before surgery, I only saw what was wrong with my body. What an idiot I was.

After surgery, I see the amazing resiliency of this physical vessel of my spirit and mind; its strength, beauty and preciousness. I no longer see what I once would have so misguidedly deemed as wrong with it; I see only its tenacity, integrity and indomitability. My only concern for my body now is that it be as healthy as it can be. I can say with absolute honesty that I am more comfortable with my body than I have ever been. Perhaps it is because the traditional standard of bodily perfection that we as women are held up to in this society (so meaninglessly and artificially) no longer has a hold over me. I now find bodily beauty in other manifested images of self.

For example, I am still intrigued by the beautiful circle on my left breast. The thought crosses my mind how odd it is that a symbol of wholeness – the circle – replaces the part of me that was removed and that technically made me un-whole. The circle image also evokes a sense of coming full circle, of the circle of life, of returning again and again to the place of origin. It evokes containment (within the circle) and a sense of protection (from what is outside the circle). It suggests the earth we live on, the sun and the moon, seeds and eggs. All are very powerful images and thoughts – almost prayers in themselves.

I thank my body for all it’s been through and for all it allows me to still do every day. I honor my body for its sacrifice so that I might continue.

It’s been two years since my surgeries and I still feel like a visitor in my changed body. Perhaps, in time, I’ll feel fully integrated again, but it doesn’t really seem to matter. I am happy as I am. I never forget what a gift this physical body is and I strive to use it well and for good each and every day I inhabit it.
Copyright August 20, 2007

PERSONAL NOTE: The Pink Crusader remains grateful to Cheryl for her reflective, sensitive and wonderfully written contributions. We encourage our readers to pass along their favorable comments to Cheryl at cdonlin@tejaslabs.net or thepinkcrusader1@aol.com .
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SURVIVOR UPDATES:

Good News from Penny!
This past Monday I went back to my oncologist. I took a friend along for moral support. While waiting, I got myself worked up into a dither, worrying about whether the results of my HER2 status would be positive or negative. The status would dictate my needing additional chemo or not.

I asked the doc what my status was, and he said it was still not in my chart, so he left the room to check the computer. The five minutes that he was gone seemed like an eternity. When he came back and announced that both sides were definitely HER2 negative, I nearly passed out from utter relief!! That means no further chemo of any kind (unless there is a recurrence), no radiation, and I just need to tough out the coming years taking the Arimidex daily. Hey, I hope I can handle that! Hugs from, Penny

Personal Note: Hooray for Penny! This is the type of news we could use more of! Thanks for sharing!
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FYI

From Rosemary Barr:

Please join this FLY THE FLAG campaign and PLEASE forward this email
immediately to everyone in your address book asking them to also forward
it. We have less than 2 weeks and counting to get the word out all across
this great land and into every community in the United States of America
If you forward this email to least 11 people and each of those people
do the same...you get the idea.

THE PROGRAM IS THIS:
On Tuesday, September 11th, 2007, an American flag should be displayed
outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States.
Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on
this anniversary of our country's worst tragedy. We do this in honor of
those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved
ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at
home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in
American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood
shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but
disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it
shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American
flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over
terrorism of all kinds.

Action Plan: So, here's what we need you to do...
(1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 11 people). Take a
moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11/01 and let those sentiments
guide you.

(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11.

Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't,
then at least make it a priority on this day. Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America

Also From Rosemary Barr & Ann Nette Pearce:

Just went to www.mbcnetwork.org and registered for the November Conference on metastatic breast cancer at MDACC. Remembered we could register in September and it's September! - Rosemary

When you enter the security code be sure and capitalize the letters.
Thanks for the reminder, I had it scheduled to register later this month, but I did it now. Love ya, Ann Nette

From Rosemary Herron:
If you have sisters tell them about this study! - Rosemary

Is breast cancer caused by something women come in contact with at work,at home, in their communities or in the personal products they use? That's what the Sister Study is trying to answer. The Sister Study needs 50,000 women whose sisters had breast cancer, to enroll now, to help discover the environmental and genetic causes of breast cancer. Conducted by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Sister Study is committed to enrolling a diverse population of women to ensure the results represent and benefit all women. For more information visit www.estudiodehermanas.org Call toll-free 1-877-4SISTER.
Deaf/Hard of Hearing call 1-866-TTY-4SIS.

From Cheryl P. Donlin:

Josie! Hopefully, you won't see this e-mail for days and days, as you take some time to recover from your glorious sprint to the book project finish line! But, when you do have some time again, check this out: www.lhj.com/faces

This is a Ladies Home Journal link to a breast cancer photo "gallery" of pictures of survivors. The photos have been sent in by loved ones and friends in honor of the struggle these women are engaged in, along with a note about why the survivor is loved and how she is coping. The photo and the text should be e-mailed to: lhj.breastcancer@meredith.com, using the subject line: Breast cancer.

What a wonderful way for all those who could not be part of your beautiful book project (and/or who were inspired by it!) to honor the brave women in their lives who are battling breast cancer.

Work. Create. Grow. Give. Cheryl

From Karen Funk:

Hello All! I just received an email from Tim Bell, the (Susan G. Komen)
Survivor Party photographer, with the details for viewing photos online.....

Website: www.eventpix.com

Event name: Survivors07

Password: Celebrate

Date available: 9/03/07

All the best!! Karen Funk
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DAILY REMINDER #1:

"Fund Free Mammograms"
Go to The Breast Cancer Site at http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/tpc/EEB_0115_BCSm
and help fund free mammograms for the homeless, working-poor, and un-insured women. It costs nothing to you, except one daily click on the pink "Fund Free Mammograms" button. You can even request automatic reminders via e-mail. Please make your free click now, and thanks for your continuing support! The Breast Cancer Site, One Union Square, 600 University Street, Suite 1000, Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 1-888-811-5271
Note: GROW AWARENESS & HELP SAVE LIVES!
If we receive 4.5 million clicks in September, our premier
sponsor will fund an additional 100 FREE MAMMOGRAMS.
Please click daily!

DAILY REMINDER #2
Help eliminate Breast Cancer with a daily click at
http://breastcancer.care2.com/ebc-about.html
You'll be one of the first people to participate in the largest virtual mountain climb in the world! With every click, (or "step") you generate a donation to
eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer--for free. Sponsors pay for your click and fund The Breast Cancer Fund's programs focusing on environmental links to breast cancer. It only takes a second! The Breast Cancer Fund is the leading national organization focused on identifying – and advocating for the elimination of – the environmental and preventable causes of the disease. For more details on the organization’s work, visit www.breastcancerfund.org
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UPCOMING EVENTS: Mark Your Calendars and Save the Dates!

ROSEBUDS MEETINGS
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Open to all Breast Cancer Patients/Survivors
1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 4 & 18
www.RosebudsSupport.org
We look forward to seeing you!

LIVING FULLY WITH AND BEYOND CANCER
M.D. Anderson Network's 19th Annual Patient and Caregiver Conference
September 6-8 2007
Marriott Westchase - Houston, Texas
For more info call 1-800-345-6324 or visit www.mdanderson.org/patientconference

PURIFICATION HEALING WATER CEREMONY
The month of September is perfect for slowing down, reflection and going
within to gain insight on your growth, change and healing that you have
experienced so far this year. It is also a month to begin your process of
"letting go" and deep purification of self.

Water is the element of Fall and is a feminine element... and has always
been known and used for it's powerful purification and healing abilities.

Saturday, September 8th
1:00 PM to 3:30 PM
Lucia's Garden, 2216 Portsmouth Street, Houston, Texas 77098
Fee $30+4material fee. Aromatherapy, light snack, & beverage included
To register, call Lucia's Garden at 713-523-6494
WOMEN ONLY - Facilitated by Victoria

TOUR DE PINK 2007
Pink Ribbons Project, www.tourdepink.org
Please join us on September 9th at Prairie View A&M University for our third annual Tour de Pink - the only Texas bike ride solely benefiting breast cancer.
We offer 12, 23, 47, 63, 80 and 100 mile routes for cyclists of all levels! A post-ride festival will feature artists and entertainment from the Houston and Prairie View communities for cyclists, volunteers and their families. Form a team, join a team or participate as an individual! Not able to ride or make it out to the event? Register as a VIRTUAL RIDER, fundraise for the cause and reap all the benefits of the participants!

This is reminder that each participant is required to raise a $75 pledge in addition to their registration fee. You can donate to your favorite cyclist online now! Text PINK to 78247 to receive Tour de Pink updates on your cell phone! For more information on Pink Ribbons Project, visit www.pinkribbons.org

KNOCKOUT ROSES
A support group for women diagnosed under 40
2nd Monday of each month, @ 5:45
September 10, October 8, November 12,
December 10
The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
Contact Amy Rigsby, Technical Director of The Rose
713-660-6675.

SOS SUPPORT GROUP (Survivors Offering Support)
2nd Tuesday of each month, Holy Cross Church in New Territory
The SOS Suport Group will reconvene for the first meeting of the new
season on September 11, from 7-9 pm. Newcomers from the Fort Bend
area are welcome to attend.
Directions to the Church: From the corner intersection of Hwy 6 and Hwy 59: Continue South on Hwy 59. Exit at Grand Parkway-Texas 99. You will go by an H.E.B. grocery store on the right as you turn right at a traffic light to get on the Grand Parkway. Proceed to the next traffic light (River Park Drive). Turn left. You will be facing the church. Go through the next intersection (traffic light at Texas 99) and park in the church parking lot. The address is 5653 West River Park Drive. If coming from New Territory: Go to the intersection of New Territory Blvd. and Texas 99. Turn South on to Texas 99. River Park Drive is one intersection (traffic light) past New Territory Blvd. Turn right at that intersection. If coming from 90A: Turn at intersection of 90A and Texas 99 (Grand Parkway). Go South on Grand Parkway, passing Sand Hill Blvd. and New Territory Blvd. Next intersection is River Park Drive. Turn right. Church is right there.

ROSEBUDS II MEETINGS
(For those who have had or are at high risk for recurrence
and/or metastasis) The Rose, 3400 Bissonnet.
2nd and 4th Thursday of each month 5:45 - 7:30 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 13 & 27
www.RosebudsSupport.org

THE WISDOM OF WIT
An artistic portrayal of Life, Relationships & the Human Spirit
Tuesday, September 18
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center
Cancer Prevention Building, 8th Floor Conference Center
5:30 pm Check-In
6:00 pm Program & Discussion
Register by e-mail or Call: 713-745-0549
Visit: www.mdanderson.org/publiceducation

THE ALICE THOMSEN LYMPHEDEMA AWARENESS GROUP of HOUSTON Meetings are scheduled on the 3rd Tuesday of every other month at the American cancer Society Building,6301 Richmond (between Hillcroft and Fountainview) at 7:00pm. The 2007 dates are September 18 and November 20th. For further information call 281-546-6438.

CANCERCARE MEDICAL UPDATE on METASTATIC BREAST CANCER
Telephone Education Workshop
Thursday, September 20, 2007, 3-4pm EST
Speakers: Joyce O'Shaughnessy, M.D., Co-Director Breast Cancer Research Program Baylor-Charles A. Sammons Cancer Center, Texas Oncology
Patricia Spicer, MSW, Breast Cancer Program Coordinator, Cancer Care
For more information, call CancerCare at 1-800-813-HOPE (4673)
Or register online at www.cancercare.org

2007 SUSAN G. KOMEN HOUSTON RACE FOR THE CURE
The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Houston Affiliate
Saturday, October 6, 2007 Sam Houston Park- Downtown
Race Day Schedule
7:45 a.m. Opening Ceremonies & Memorial Birds
8:00 a.m. Family Walk and Kids K by ConocoPhillips
8:15 a.m. 5K Coed Timed Competitive Run
8:25 a.m. 5K Coed Non-Competitive Run
8:35 a.m. 5K Coed Walk
9:15 a.m. Runners' Awards Ceremony
10:00 a.m. Awards Ceremony and Survivor Celebration
For more Information: Phone: (713) 783-9188 Fax: (713) 783-9187 http://www.komen-houston.org email: info@komen-houston.org

2007 BREAST HEALTH SUMMIT
The 2007 Breast Health Summit will be held on October 18, 2007 at the United Way in Houston. Please pass this information on to others who may be interested. Additional information will be sent out later by both e-mail and postal mail. If your mailing address has changed, please be sure to forward the updated information to Pat Dames at pdames@the-rose.org
The Rose
12700 North Featherwood
Houston, TX 77034
281-464-5150
Fax 281-484-7083
www.the-rose.org

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K Walk
Saturday, October 20, 2007 Registration 8:00 am
Sam Houston Park, Downtown Houston Walk begins at 9:00 am
For more information visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline
Email: strides_houston@cancer.org Phone: 1-877-606-WALK

CAP HOLIDAY CARD SALES at MAYS CLINIC
Volunteer Services and The Children's Art Project (CAP) collaborate to better the lives of patients at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. For more than twenty-five years volunteers have assisted with Card Sales. Proceeds benefit M. D. Anderson's Pediatric and Adult Patient Programs. Volunteer Services is asking for volunteer assistance with the upcoming 2007 CAP - Holiday Card Sale at the Mays Clinic. Please contact Cindy Shursen, Program Coordinator - Volunteer Services, if you are available to assist during the below sale days / times.
Dates: November 5th -16th
Times frame: 9:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m.
Contact: Cindy Shursen
Phone: 713-745-0266
Email: cshursen@mdanderson.org

METASTATIC BREAST CANCER NETWORK
Finally, a national independent advocacy group of and for people with
metastatic breast cancer, the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network (MBCN). To
join and for information about this network visit www.MBCNetwork.org
Your membership in MBCN makes you a part of an important first step toward
bringing a new voice, a proactive voice, to the breast cancer community.
It is absolutely committed to you and makes the following pledge:
• We will honor your life by working together to fight for the development
of treatments that extend life as the search for the cure continues.
• We will protect your privacy and will never share your name or e-mail
address with any person or group.
• We will keep you informed of what we are doing to promote the concerns
of people living with advanced breast cancer.
Let our voices be heard!

November 17 - 18, 2007 Metastatic Breast Cancer Network 2nd Annual
National Conference, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Sponsored by Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi, Chairman of the Department of Breast
Medical Oncology. Registration will open in September on the MBCN web
site www.MBCNetwork.org MBCN’s 1st annual conference in 2006 was at
Sloan-Kettering in New York and was a great success with about 300
attendees.

"SHARING is CARING"
As always, The Pink Crusader welcomes your comments, stories, poems, and events and photographs!Posts are updated every Sunday. Please send your written contributions to thepinkcrusader1@aol.com.

"The small force that it takes to launch a boat into the stream should not be confused with the force of the stream that carries it along: but this confusion appears in nearly all biographies."
- Friedrich Nietzsche

Until next week stay strong, stay well and keep on dancing to September's song.
SmileyCentral.com
Love, Josie
The Pink Crusader
thepinkcrusader1@aol.com