Glamour editor and leukemia cancer survivor Erin Zammett Ruddy blogs Life with Cancer and is the author of My (So-Called) Normal Life. Five years ago, at the age of 23, Erin was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Immediately after her cancer diagnosis, Erin began chronicling her life with cancer in a monthly Life with Cancer column for Glamour magazine. Recently, she has launched a blog after the same name as her column.

"I am excited to be starting my blog for Glamour. I am going to be talking about whatever it is I am feeling about that particular day.

I hope to hear from readers that instead of being a patient or a victim -- it's something like I have this disease, what can I do with it -- how can I help other people.

Do I wish I didn't have cancer? Yes, but I wouldn't trade my life right now for anything and that life includes cancer."

While Erin is new to blogging, she is not new to writing, and she is an excellent writer. Frank, serious, open, vulnerable, and bouyant with a delightful sense of humor, her writing makes for a blog that is difficult to leave until you have read every post. Erin takes Gleevac, and in order to have a baby she will need to stop taking the drug that keeps her in cancer remission. She is very honest in sharing the anxiety and anticipation of making this choice.

From the blog, you can access the monthly column Erin writes for Glamour magazine. One of the most recent features an interview with MTV's Real World/Road Rules Challenge: Fresh Meat Diem Brown, a 25-year-old woman currently battling ovarian cancer. After hearing about Diem, and watching her on the reality show, Erin was intrigued to meet her. As a result of the time the two spent together, and sharing stories with Diem, Erin was inspired to stay positive in the midst of uncertainty.

Erin Zammett Ruddy is a phenomenal woman with a terrific attitude, and a blog we are glad she keeps.

Glamour's October magazine features stories about breast cancer survivors. Cancer Vixen Marisa Acocella Marchetto, cartoonist for Glamour and The New Yorker and author of Cancer Vixen: A True Story, is profiled. And another survivor -- young mom Kelly Corrigan who authors her online journal Circus of Cancer -- is highlighted. And Allison Briggs, diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 26, shares her photo journal with readers who learn from all three survivors that more and more, women are sharing their cancer journeys in very public ways.

Allison -- Alli -- could not sleep the night she was diagnosed with breast cancer so she sent her boyfriend to the store for medication to calm her upset stomach. While he was gone, she noticed a camera sitting on the bedside table. She had an overwhelming urge to start snapping photos. So she took some self-portraits, had her boyfriend take some more when he returned home, and decided that night she would document her journey through photographs. She wanted to remember this phase of her life -- even though she had no idea how it would turn out.

Life is turning out just fine for Alli, who has rallied a support team called The Rack Pack, a group of women who aim to make a difference -- all because of the inspiration and strength they receive from their friend Alli. They are participating in the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer 3-Day, 60-mile walk in San Diego November 10-12. They sell Rack Pack t-shirts. They offer e-mail notification of exclusive Rack Pack events. They share updates about Alli. They never stop trying to make a difference -- for Alli and for women everywhere fighting breast cancer.

Cate Blanchett is set to star as Marisa Acocella Marchetto in Cancer Vixen: A True Story, the cartoonist fashionista for Glamour and the New Yorker who discovered, while planning her wedding to celebrity restaurateur Silvano Marchetto, that she had breast cancer. Marchetto also realized she had let her health insurance lapse right before being diagnosed with cancer.

With stylish aplomb, she has become phenomenally popular for her colorful personality, and the telling of her breast cancer diagnosis, treatment and survivorship with a sense of humor and fashion flair that included wearing her favorite high heels to chemotherapy and noting that her hospital gown reminded her of Diane von Furstenberg designs.

Amazon features an exclusive cartoon on the Cancer Vixen: A True Story book page and portrays Marchetto as a "self-described shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-get-married big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous life." Blanchett is reportedly in talks to produce the film as well, with her husband, Andrew Upton, through their company Dirty Films.

One of our bloggers and breast cancer survivor Jacki Donaldson, in a previous post featuring Marisa Acocella Marchetto, recommends Cancer Vixen: A True Story as a "must read." For all women facing breast cancer, I agree. Never underestimate the positive benefit of a spunky attitude -- sense of humor -- and a really sexy pair of high heels when it comes to facing the struggles with breast cancer.

Marisa Acocella Marchetto is a self-proclaimed "shoe-crazy, lipstick-obsessed, wine-swilling, pasta-slurping, fashion-fanatic, single-forever, about-to-get-married big-city girl cartoonist with a fabulous life." Until she receives a breast cancer diagnosis and her world is turned upside down. But with grace and style and a bit of wild spunk, Marchetto takes on 11 months of treatment -- often attending chemotherapy appointments in rainbow pumps -- and she emerges victorious. This fun-loving Manhattan girl is no cancer victim -- she is a cancer vixen.

Cancer Vixen: A True Story is Marchetto's story -- a powerful comic-book memoir of one woman, a cartoonist for The New Yorker and Glamour, who at the age of 43 encounters the dreaded depths of breast cancer. A woman who cartoons her way through personal crisis. A woman who marries her prince charming. A woman who is now living happily ever after.

Evelyn H. Lauder, Founder and Chairman of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, says "Marisa's willingness to share her experiences in such an honest, personal way is an incredible inspiration -- whether you have experienced breast cancer or love someone who has endured its many challenges."

Cancer Vixen is a must read. And for a must-see teaser that will keep you wanting more, click here.

Pierce Brosnan has been named 2006 Lee National Denim Day ambassador. The event, the world's largest single-day fundraising campaign for breast cancer, which is held on October 6, encourages millions of women and men nationwide to wear their favorite jeans and make a $5 donation to support breast cancer research, education and outreach.

For the 11th annual National Denim Day, Lee Jeans is joining together with the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research Fund. The Women's Cancer Research Fund was established to support research, education, and outreach programs for more effective approaches to the early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all women's cancers. Honorary chairs include Kate Capshaw and Rita Wilson.

Last year, more than 29,000 companies participated in the fundraiser, raising more than $8.6 million dollars. In the last twenty years, the event has raised more than $61 million dollars in support of breast cancer programs. To register for the event, make a donation, find event ideas or shop for Pink Ribbon Jeans, visit the Lee National Denim Day website.

With the sale of a designer logo t-shirt, Fashion Targets Breast Cancer, launched in the UK by Breakthrough Breast Cancer, is celebrating its tenth year as the UK's leading fashion charity breast cancer campaign. The fundraiser began after Ralph Lauren's friend, fashion editor of the Washington Post, Nina Hyde, died from breast cancer. While Ms. Hyde was still battling cancer, she asked Lauren to promise he would do something to raise awareness for breast cancer. Fashion Targets Breast Cancer and the designer logo t-shirt is his promise fulfilled.

Fashion Targets Breast Cancer is a worldwide campaign with celebrity spokespersons such as Saffron Aldridge, Yasmin Le Bon, Gisele Bundchen, Helena Christensen, Jodie Kidd, Elle Macpherson, Jade Jagger, Lily Cole, Eva Herzigova, Claudia Schiffer, Jasmine Guiness, Yasmin Le Bon, Laura Bailey, Erin O'Connor and Jerry Hall.

To support breast cancer charity, you can purchase a Fashion Targets Breast Cancer designer t-shirt here. In addition, by submitting a photo of you and your best dressed friends to the 10 best dressed gallery you are entered in a contest to win tickets to the London Fashion Week this coming September.

The tricksters of tobacco are up to old and new tricks. Even with the global efforts to raise awareness about the life-threatening health risks of smoking, and outright bans on smoking, did anyone even slightly believe that the tobacco industry was going to fold its carnival tent, give up its magic act and go home. Selling nicotine-addicting cigarettes is a billion gazillion dollars in profit business. Joe Nocera, in Is it just smoke and mirrors? sums up one of the fundamental business practices for the tobacco industry by referencing a Warren Buffett statement, "You make a product for a penny, you sell it for a dollar and you sell it to addicts."

In a second excellent article I found published today about the tobacco industry, Tobacco industry: Smoking isn't bad for your health reveals the current focus shift of tobacco companies in gaining new markets in the continuing effort not to lose too much business due to smoking restrictions being implemented in much of the Western world and the resulting decline in the number of smokers. Eastern Europe, Africa and the Far East are the new frontiers. According to the article, tobacco companies are being accused of turning a blind eye to cigarette smuggling in order to flood new markets with their product. In addition, they face criticism for launching aggressive marketing campaigns, which would be banned in the West, linking tobacco with sex, youth and glamour.

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.

I have kept this post in the pending file for two days because something inside me is deeply opposed to giving these groups any more media attention or blog time than they manage to attract on their own. But, as a breast cancer survivor, I have become aware of an emerging new twist in the agenda regarding the fight to overturn the legalization of abortion that is so disturbing and offensive, I feel compelled to share the observation more than I feel compelled to denying these groups attention. This post is not about abortion. This post is about a group using cancer in a veiled attempt to further the political agenda for overturning the legalization of abortion -- in what appears to be an anything goes tactic of justifying the means to achieve the ultimate goal.