By popular vote, Australia's beloved pop diva and breast cancer survivor has been chosen as the most inspirational celebrity of 2006. Sugar magazine teen readers indicated that Minogue represents their first choice as an inspirational role model for young women.

From the beginning of her breast cancer diagnosis, Minogue has shared her very personal battle with breast cancer in a very public way, raising awareness for the disease among a younger generation of women whose attention to breast health might not have been as focused otherwise.

Earlier this month, Minogue was named the Gold Choice Celebrity of the Year in the Sydney Confidential People's Choice Awards by Australia's Daily Telegraph readers.


For a retrospective of Kylie Minogue's breast cancer journey:

• Kylie Minogue: voted favorite traveling companion of men.
• Kylie Minogue: world exclusive interview with Sky One.
• Kylie Minogue loses close friend and personal chauffeur to cancer.
• Kylie Minogue: back on stage as a breast cancer survivor.
• Kylie Minogue: laughter is the best medicine for cancer cure.
• Dannii Minogue: sings under pressure about sister Kylie.
• Kylie Minogue breast cancer survivor glows in health.
• Kylie Minogue: cancer survivor writes children's book.
• Kylie Minogue joins women in fight for Herceptin.
• Kylie Minogue in breast cancer remission.

When Australian pop star Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, there was a sudden surge in the number of young women requesting breast cancer screening. Minogue's breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 37 raised concern among a younger population of women that breast cancer is a diagnosis that could potentially happen to them. Knowledge is power and education saves lives. The increase in breast cancer awareness became known as the Kylie Effect.

However, the awareness that younger women can develop breast cancer has led some women to age-related conclusions about breast cancer that are not true, and this is also being referred to as the Kylie Effect. According to a recent survey of 2,289 women conducted by Cancer Research UK, 77 percent of the survey participants said that breast cancer risk was higher for women under the age of 70, and 33 percent said that women under the age of 50 were most at risk. The fact is cancer risk increases with age, and four out of five women diagnosed with breast cancer are over the age of 50.

"Celebrities with breast cancer like Kylie Minogue and Caron Keating have attracted a lot of publicity -- especially in magazines aimed at younger women. This is very beneficial in that it raises awareness of breast cancer. But the down side is that it may also set up a chain of panic among young women, while misleading older women to think that ageing is not a relevant factor in breast cancer," stated Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK.

For a retrospective of Kylie Minogue's breast cancer journey:

• Kylie Minogue: voted favorite traveling companion of men.
• Kylie Minogue: world exclusive interview with Sky One.
• Kylie Minogue loses close friend and personal chauffeur to cancer.
• Kylie Minogue: back on stage as a breast cancer survivor.
• Kylie Minogue: laughter is the best medicine for cancer cure.
• Dannii Minogue: sings under pressure about sister Kylie.
• Kylie Minogue breast cancer survivor glows in health.
• Kylie Minogue: cancer survivor writes children's book.
• Kylie Minogue joins women in fight for Herceptin.
• Kylie Minogue in breast cancer remission.

What should younger women do to be breast cancer smart? Do a monthly self exam and if they notice any abnormalities or lumps, insist that tests be done to rule out breast cancer. Realize that while any woman at any age can get breast cancer, the chances increase with age and 80 percent of breast cancer diagnosis happen for women 50 years and older.

From the moment the news broke that Kylie Minogue had been diagnosed with breast cancer, the world has followed her through treatment and into recovery. While she has been spotted recently at various events, she has never spoken at length about the last year that has transformed her life forever.

In a world exclusive interview with Sky One's Cat Deeley, that aired July 16, Kylie Minogue sat down and shared her experiences as a young woman diagnosed with breast cancer -- the effect it had on her and her family -- losing her hair -- coming to terms with being a breast cancer survivor and the fact that being a breast cancer survivor is still sinking in -- staying positive and believing you can get through it as her advice to other young women who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer and are undergoing treatment.

Sky One has made available video segments of the interview with Minogue online here.

"I just want to do everything. I honestly don't want to sound soppy or too clichéd, but that's the way it is. It's nice to take a walk and to see friends. I just can't help but see things differently," said Minogue of life as a breast cancer survivor. "I want to thank all the people who really might have thought that what they did was very small, but they all add up and even the smallest thing makes a difference in how you're feeling and your road to recovery.''

For a retrospective of Kylie Minogue's breast cancer journey:

• Kylie Minogue: back on stage as a breast cancer survivor.
• Kylie Minogue: laughter is the best medicine for cancer cure.
• Dannii Minogue: sings under pressure about sister Kylie.
• Kylie Minogue breast cancer survivor glows in health.
• Kylie Minogue: cancer survivor writes children's book.
• Kylie Minogue joins women in fight for Herceptin.
• Kylie Minogue in breast cancer remission.

Last May, when Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with an aggressive type of breast cancer, she was forced to cancel the remaining dates of her Showgirl world tour and an appearance at the Glastonbury Festival. Since that time, she has undergone surgery and chemotherapy. Using her celebrity status and personal experience, she has spoken out to raise awareness of breast cancer -- especially encouraging younger women to get tested for breast cancer. Minogue was 37 at the time of her breast cancer diagnosis.

For the first time since being diagnosed with breast cancer last year, Kylie Minogue returned to the concert stage at London's G-A-Y club to join her sister Dannii where they sang Jump To The Beat. After the set, Kylie presented Dannii with flowers. Dannii remained at her sister's side during the long battle to survive breast cancer, keeping up Kylie's spirits with love and humor.

Earlier this month, Kylie was honored with Glamour magazine's Woman of the Year award for her courageous battle with breast cancer. Minogue has proven, that even though moving from cancer diagnosis, through treatments and into recovery can seem like an ever-so-slow step-by-step uncertain process -- one day you do eventually find yourself back on life's stage singing your song.

Dannii Minogue told the British magazine Cosmopolitan that she is convinced laughter cured her older sister Kylie's breast cancer. While the prognosis was always good, Dannii admits both sisters struggled to believe everything would be fine, so they dressed up in silly clothes and watched comedies to keep a positive attitude and spirits up.

Can laughter cure cancer? Not by itself -- but there are numerous studies that show laughter initiates a powerful biological process of feel-good healing chemicals that support and strengthen the immune system. We have done several posts here, here, here, here and here about the healing power of humor and the laughter associated with it. So, even if it seems farfetched and unrealistic for Dannii to believe that laughter cured her sister of breast cancer, she might be more right than she is wrong.

Singer Dannii Minogue, a longtime supporter of breast cancer research, and sister to Kylie Minogue, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last year, has released a song and music video called Under Pressure, about her sister's battle with breast cancer.

The emotional impact of cancer can be overwhelming for the person diagnosed with cancer. But it is equally devastating for the family and friends who are faced with news that threatens to take the life of someone they dearly love. As a loved one of a cancer patient, you can feel helpless or lost in how to help or how to make things better. Your secret wish is that you can do something magical to make the cancer go away. You hold your breath and you pray -- alot. You wait at the ready for anything you can do and you worry that you may do, or say, something wrong. Your heart breaks as you witness the difficult struggles your loved one with cancer is going through in their fight against cancer. Your spirit trembles in fear that you may lose someone you cherish. Following is a list of cancer organizations who offer support for cancer patients and the people who love them.

• Cancer Survivors Network
• CancerCare
• Cancer Information and Counseling Line
• CureSearch
• Gilda’s Club Worldwide
• Lance Armstrong Foundation
• National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
• The Wellness Community

If I have missed any organizations or support groups that you feel have offered you and your family excellent support services, please leave the name of the organization in the comment area.