On Sunday September 16, 2007, The Colosseum Gym will be hosting the 1st Annual Lift for the Cure: Powerlifting and Bench Press Competition. All proceeds to help benefit the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. This will be an OPEN meet limited to 60 lifters. All weight classes will be honored, including a separate Law Enforcement Division (Top Cop Award). This will be a unsanctioned RAW meet (belts and wraps only). USAPL rules apply.

Guest Judge and exhibition lift by 7-time USPF National Champion and 6-time IPF World Champion, "Captain Kirk" Karwoski.

The $25 application fee/donation includes a unique event t-shirt, food and refreshments and the opportunity to help a great cause. Event categories include Squat/Bench/Deadlift OR Bench only. Weigh in time is 8 am - 9am. Lifting will start at 10 am. Limited to 60 lifters.

Spectators are welcome! The $5 spectator donation to The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults includes food and refreshments. Children under 6 are free. Shirt sales and vendors will be on the scene.

The event will be held at The Colosseum Gym located at 9195F Red Branch Road, Columbia, Maryland.

More on the Ulman Fund and how it came about.

Art for Cure, a non-profit organization, was founded by Jennifer Carr Patrizio, Jennifer Tisch, and Bob Stockfield. The two Jennifer's are my friends and fellow young breast cancer survivors. I was contacted by Jen and Jen to participate in the calendar by having a photo of me appear in it! How exciting!

Jennifer Carr Patrizio is a five year breast cancer survivor and a two year leukemia survivor. Jennifer Tisch is a two-time breast cancer survivor. Together, with freelance photographer Bob Stockfield, they have created a beautiful calendar called Life Blooms Desk Calendar.

The Life Blooms Desk Calendar is a month-at-a-glance format, features breathtaking photography of pink flora and motivational prose on one side, and candid photography of breast cancer survivors on the back. You can purchase the calendar for $20.

I AM THE CURE is the Susan G. Komen new rallying cry. Intended to urge us to take an active role in our own breast health and remind us that we all play an important part in finding a cure, these are words to live by. I think I won't soon forget them -- because I have a new key chain inscribed with all four of them.

My aunt just participated in the Aspen Race for the Cure, and she sent me all the goodies she picked up at the race. She gave me the Ford Warriors in Pink scarf -- I've always wanted one and can't wait to wear it on October 20 when I run in my local Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event. She also passed on to me a race t-shirt, the sign she wore on her back -- in celebration of my beautiful niece Jacki, it read -- and pink ribbon magnets, sunscreen, a Warriors in Pink temporary tattoo, and all sorts of other little trinkets. The key chain was one of them.

My new key chain features four different sized pink metal circles, each one dangling from the key ring. On each circle, there is one word. From the smallest circle to the largest, the words I -- AM -- THE -- CURE appear. All on their own, these circles are pretty powerful. But there's more. On an insert that came with the key chain is an explanation for each circle.

Who knows which pieces of cancer information floating around out there are actually true? I don't. Do cell phones cause cancer? Some say yes, some say no, I say I'm confused! Luckily, I happened upon this Discovery Health article that highlights a variety of myths and then offers the lowdown on each one. Here are seven of them:

Myth #1. There is currently a cure for cancer, but the medical industry won't tell the public about it because they make too much money treating cancer patients.

Chalk this up to urban legend. And consider this: doctors, laboratory scientists, and their families and friends die of cancer at the same rate as everyone else in the United States. How about this: medical breakthroughs happen all the time and are quickly applied. Think about antibiotics and vaccines -- like the polio vaccine -- that have transformed health care. How about this? Not too long ago, less than one in 10 kids with leukemia survived 10 years. Now, the cure rate is nearly 80 percent. Seems like progress to me.

My friend and fellow young breast cancer survivor has received a great honor to serve as one of the 55 delegates representing breast cancer advocates worldwide at Ignite the Promise: Global Advocate Summit in Hungary.

I'm so proud of you Deb!

This press release says it all:

Deb Kirkland, of Baltimore, MD, has been selected to serve as one of 55 delegates representing breast cancer advocates worldwide at "Ignite the Promise: Global Advocate Summit" in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 29-30, 2007.

Organized by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, the summit will pair the 25 U.S. breast cancer advocates with their counterparts from 30 countries. The overarching goals for holding this international summit are to elevate the dialogue on breast cancer's global impact and to share strategies used to combat breast cancer in the delegates' local communities

"Each year, more than 1 million women worldwide receive a breast cancer diagnosis," said Nancy G. Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. "The need to provide these women-regardless of race, nationality, or socioeconomic status-an equal opportunity to beat a breast cancer diagnosis has never been greater. This summit will enable advocates to share outreach tactics that have been implemented in the U.S. and elsewhere to meet our collective goal of saving lives and ending breast cancer forever."

Today is my dad's 65th birthday. He always loved visiting Arizona over the years, he finally made his dream come true by moving to Tucson. My dad has always lived a very healthy lifestyle -- I believe that is why is he in such good physical and mental shape today.

One year before I was diagnosed with breast cancer we ran the 5k at the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure in Philadelphia. That was back in 2000, however my dad has been running in races for over thirty years. We also tackled the Avon 2 Day walk in New York City in the fall of 2003.

Jack is a non-smoker, a jogger, hiker, a golfer, and a chess player -- it is important to not only exercise the body -- but also the mind.

Keep it up dad. Happy birthday!! I love you!

It happened Saturday -- the third annual Yard Sale for the Cure. It took place in thousands of lawns all over Canada, and profits donated from the respective sales will benefit breast cancer charities. And it all started because of one breast cancer survivor's cluttered basement.

Rachael Smith, diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2004 and in treatment for the nine months that followed, noticed before cancer that piles of stuff were gathering in the basement of the house she shared with her husband and two young daughters. A sale was in order, she realized, but then cancer arrived and a yard sale fell off her radar. And then she emerged from surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation and realized she had reason to give back to the community that helped her survive.

And so Yard Sale for the Cure was born.

Ford has officially unveiled its 2008 Warriors in Pink Mustang. Available in three colors -- black, metallic silver, and performance white -- this breast cancer-inspired car features a pink ribbon and Pony fender badge, pink striping on the rocker panel, and pink stitching on its charcoal leather seats, steering wheel, and floor mats. Only 2,500 of these Mustangs will be built, and the car will be available in the V6 coupe and convertible models.

Ford has given more than $90 million in cash and donations to Susan G. Komen for the Cure over the past 13 years. This Mustang is their latest philanthropic endeavor, and they expect to generate $500,000 in funds for this organization.

Ford says winning the race against breast cancer takes a whole lot of horsepower. And now they are adding more muscle than ever to the fight.

A bundle of scientific reports indicate more than 200 chemicals, found in the air and in consumer products, cause breast cancer in animal tests.

Researchers report in an American Cancer Society publication that reducing exposure to such compounds could prevent many women from developing the disease.

Family history and genetic make-up are responsible for only a small percentage of breast cancer cases. Environmental and lifestyle factors, such as diet, are most likely involved in the majority of cases, say experts.

Last May, Lori Raimondo set off on a cross-country trek in search of one dollar for every day her mother Lorraine battled breast cancer.

She called her 10,344-mile excursion Road to a Cure. Her goal was to raise $9,490. She ended up with nearly $14,000. She succeeded. She exceeded. And she donated every cent to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Raimondo's driving journey is long over. But our collective breast cancer journey is not. And so Raimondo, in honor of her mother on this Mother's Day, asks friends and family and strangers alike to continue contributing to the breast cancer cause so that the road to a cure may one day come to an end.

Raimondo is accepting donations on her website. She will continue to pass on everything she gathers to help fund breast cancer research.

Kim Goebel was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, at the age of 43. Her sister Kris noticed a lot of moms saying "How am I going to tell my kids?"

Partners for a Cure Foundation was founded by the sisters and they began planning a doll and a book to familiarize children with the physical and emotional effects of cancer treatment. The dolls are soft and lovable but depict the hard truth in a special way so that the kids will be less scared of what is happening with their mom's treatment process.

Summer Running: A Race To Cure Breast Cancer is a documentary about two amazing women who are fighting breast cancer. The film sheds light on this common disease and those dedicated to finding a cure.

Donate just 20 dollars and you can get this highly acclaimed documentary. Net proceeds go to cancer researchers at Johns Hopkins University and The University of Virginia.

"... a highly inspirational and moving film about women runners and breast cancer survivors. It also emphasizes the importance of grass-roots funding, and offers a hopeful look at cancer research. Highest recommendation!"
- Theresa Wells, RN / Runner

Call Me Larry, that is his name. This remarkable young racehorse came in first in the sixth race at Aqueduct Raceway. His owner Suzie O'Cain, will donate ten percent of his earnings to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

The horse is named after Dr. Larry Norton, Breast Cancer Research Foundation Scientific Director and Chairman of the Medical Advisory board, in a cute story. Suzie felt obligated not to use Dr. Norton's first name when addressing him. However, he kept urging her to 'Call me Larry'!

So the horse was named Call Me Larry in honor of Dr. Norton and to raise funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

Some scientists think that the reason cancer recurs is because we haven't gotten to the root of the disease. What they mean by the root is -- the cancer stem cells.

Stem cells can reproduce and make exact copies of themselves and can live longer than ordinary cells. Embryonic stem cells can have the potential to become many different types of cells, whereas adult stem cells are generally limited to becoming into the cell types of a specific organ.

The researchers gave the analogy of a dandelion that is growing in your backyard. You can cut the weed but if you don't kill the root the dandelion will grow back. It seems that our treatments today for cancer can kill the ordinary cancer cells but can leave the stem cells behind to grow into new tumors and spread.

So how do we kill the cancer stem cells? Well, they don't know yet. But it is promising research that I look forward to hearing more about in the future.

I've said it before. Every time I go running I feel like I'm crushing cancer with each and every step I pound onto the pavement. It's exhilarating, knowing I'm doing something good for my body and my soul, knowing every day I run is one more day I've survived a nasty disease. Apparently, others agree.

Think about this:

A new Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure magazine advertisement features a close-up shot of the bottom of a running shoe. Woven into the tread on the bottom of the shoe are these words:

Every step resounds with the satisfying crunch of breast cancer being stomped into oblivion.

This is exactly how I feel.