Not everyone buys into the power of pink when it comes to breast cancer.

Pink ribbons, pink teddy bears, pink hats, shirts, scarves, socks, purses, jewelry, magnets, and even cooking appliances have monopolized the breast cancer market. And some people just plain refuse to associate the disease with anything remotely sweet, soft, and soothing.

Think about this:

Annette`s Angels, founded in 2006 by the children of Annette Roberta, love and applaud the effectiveness of the flood of pink used to raise awareness about a disease that took Roberta after a 15-year battle.

But they refuse to embrace any color but black as they proceed to kick breast cancer in the butt. Black reflects their anger at breast cancer. And their power to fight it.

Annette's Angels are committed to fighting this terrible disease, and they invite us all to shop at their online store, where some items -- there's just no way around it really -- are pink. The angels will donate 50 percent of all profits to FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered, the only resource of its kind for those facing genetic breast and ovarian cancers.

Watching the Superbowl yesterday made me think of Brian Piccolo. Brian played for the Chicago Bears from 1965 until 1969. He was diagnosed with embryonal cell carcinoma, it was almost 100% fatal at the time of his diagnosis. Sadly, Brian Piccolo died on June 16, 1970 at the age of twenty six, leaving his wife and three daughters.

Chicago mourned the death of Brian Piccolo and he became a legend when the television movie Brian's Song was released in 1971. I remember the showing of that movie in my grade school years. There wasn't a dry eye in the auditorium.

Bears running back, Gale Sayers uttered these famous words in May 1970, as he accepted the NFL's most Courageous Player award. Sayers told the crowd that they had selected the wrong person for the honor, and would accept it only on Piccolo's behalf. He said " I love Brian Piccolo, and I'd like all of you to love him. When you hit your knees to pray tonight, please ask God to love him, too".

After Piccolo's death, the Brian Piccolo Cancer Research Fund was established, and millions of dollars have been donated to the cause of finding a cure to various forms of the disease. Thanks in part to those funds raised in the Piccolo's name, with early detection and treatment, this disease is now almost completely curable.

There are also a few books you can read about Brian:

Brian Piccolo, A Short Season

Gale Sayers' autobiography I am Third.

On day three of the race now, friends Mike Dann, Simon Edmundson and Tim Tottenham, known as the ATP team, are into the 350 mile trek across the frozen Artic to the Magnetic North Pole as one of 15 teams taking part in the Sony Polar Challenge North Pole race. Temperatures can get to a frigid -50C. To add to the danger and drama, 80 percent of the world's Polar Bear population live there. Considered one of the world's toughest endurance tests, the teams are expected to reach the destination on April 27. Having just crossed Polar Bear Pass, ATP is one of five leading teams. If you are into extreme sports, and unique adventures, the Polar Challenge teams are keeping daily diaries online, as well as an overall summary of the day's events during the race. They provide an excellent photo gallery, live video and a map. The images are spectacular. The ATP team is raising funds for the Laura Crane Trust.

The Laura Crane Trust was founded in memory of Laura Crane, who died just two weeks after her seventeenth birthday from a complex mix of four types of cancer. The foundation serves teens and young adults living with cancer.