My brother-in-law just read the post I wrote about his allegiance to the pink breast cancer bracelet -- the one that snapped after three solid years of wear, the one he replaced a day later.

I wrote my previous post in an attempt to give meaning to this perhaps symbolic happening. A breast cancer bracelet breaks -- what could that mean? I took a stab my own interpretation. My thoughts are featured in that post, On broken cancer bracelets. Now, Jack is weighing in with his own twist on the matter. I like his version.

Jack says his bracelet, worn ever since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in November 2004, broke because I am free of cancer. The bracelet is no longer necessary. End of cancer. End of bracelet. End of story.

Riedel Crystal USA has created a special limited edition wine glass with a soft pink stem and a clear bowl. A set of two of the Pink Vinum glasses sell for $50 on the Living Beyond Breast Cancer website.

If you purchase them here right on the LBBC website, 100% of the proceeds will support the educational programs and services for women effected by breast cancer.

As a national education and support organization, LBBC's goal is to improve your quality of life and help you take an active role in your ongoing recovery or management of the disease, regardless of educational background, social support or financial means. They hope the information and support offered on this site brings you comfort, empowers you to ask questions and enables you to make sound choices about health care that will help you manage a breast cancer diagnosis, through treatment and beyond

I like to find meaning in ordinary life events. Like my dreams, for example. The other day, I had a dream about a friend from high school. In my dream, this friend was a doctor at my local hospital, where all my cancer poking and prodding takes place. It makes sense this guy was a doctor -- last I heard from him, he was in medical school. Where he practices medicine, I had no idea. But maybe my dream was a clue. Maybe it was sign this old pal is right here in Gainesville, Florida.

Nope. I did a Google search and he's in Ohio -- right where we graduated from high school and he attended medical school. Not so much meaning in that dream. That's OK. I'm on to my next life interpretation now.

Ever since I was diagnosed with breast cancer my brother-in-law has been wearing a pink bracelet -- the one that says: Share Beauty. Spread Hope. For almost three whole years, the same rubbery band has been hanging from his wrist. Everyone in my family started out with one of these trinkets of support. And every one of us has since abandoned our pink fashion statement -- everyone except for Jack. He has stood firm in his support. I'm not sure he ever took that thing off. What a guy.

My six-year-old Joey noticed my sister's wedding ring at lunch the other day. "Is that your ring from when you married Jack?" he asked. "Yep," replied my sister. And then Joey told her, "My mom took her ring off when she went to cancer because she couldn't wear it there. And then she never put it back on."

It's true. I took my ring off prior to my treatment for breast cancer. I guess I was worried about swelling in my fingers or worse yet, lymphedema. I became so comfortable without the ring, I never put it back on. Do I still fear swelling, almost three years later? No, not really. But that's what I say when my husband and I joke about his symbol of wedded bliss and my lack of one. Joey has heard the conversation many times and today, he shared his very own version.

Just as I think Joey has a grasp on the whole cancer thing, I'm reminded that this disease is such a foreign concept for such a young boy. It's clear cancer messed up our lives for awhile, took my hair, made me sick, and forever changed our outlook on the color pink. But what is cancer really, for a six-year-old? It's a noun sometimes -- "My mommy had cancer," Joey might announce. And sometimes, like today, it's a location.

Yes, I had cancer. I guess I went to cancer too. Whatever is it, I sure am glad to have gotten rid of it -- and to have departed the whole vicinity of such a disease.

The Good Bead company wants you to show your support for the fight against breast cancer with their pink ribbon collection.

Here at The Good Bead we believe supporting the community never looked so good. We are focused on supporting worthy causes by custom creating high-quality, affordable products that engage consumers and raise awareness in the community.

The Good Beads new product Fondangles are quite possibly the most unique line of cell phone straps available. Their unique designs, high quality materials and optional o-ring make will attach to almost any cell phone. The Good Bead will be donating a percentage of sales from Fondangles to the Young Survival Coalition. Fondangles will be available beginning July 9th at Best Buys stores in New York City (Madison Avenue, Union Square, Noho, and 86th & Lexington); Riverside, CA (Tyler Street and Canyon Springs Parkway); Jacksonville, FL; Kennesaw, GA; Douglasville, GA; Atlanta, GA; and Peachtree, GA.

At our sister site Slashfood, we often spotlight gorgeous creations prepared by ourselves and legions of other food bloggers under the category of "food porn" -- a voyeuristic look at the culinary arts.

It didn't escape my attention then, when one of my favorite fellow foodies Béa at La Tartine Gourmande prepared this beautiful pink dish of Quinoa Beet Verrine, designed to help raise breast cancer awareness. She has been gracious enough to allow me to repost it here, and I'm hoping that it inspires you (like it has me) to help spread the word.

On that note, if any of you are gastronomically-inclined and would like to prepare your own "pink food" creation -- anything from pink cream cheese on a bagel to an entire fuchsia dinner -- post it on your blog and send us the link. We will spotlight the entries in a future post in hopes of continuing to raise awareness of breast cancer.

Neenah Paper has joined the fight against breast cancer and partnered with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to create Soft Pink stationery.

By choosing the Soft Pink stationery from Neenah Paper, businesses and individuals can help to support the fight against breast cancer, as a portion of the purchase proceeds will be donated to the foundation.

Patrick Lynch, Senior Brand Manager for Neenah Paper says "Neenah Paper has the only stationery brand supported by the foundation. Our Soft Pink letterhead sheets are an elegant opportunity to show support of the cause".

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.

In most areas, you can find a walk or some sort of other fundraiser for breast cancer. But for women in Terra Haute, IN, their Carnation-selling fundraiser kicks off by painting their town pink -- literally. Well, ok, it's only one ribbon, but one ribbon signifies so much ... survival. Proceeds from the fundraiser, organized by the local Breast Cancer Survivors group, funds the chance for six women to attend a national conference on the disease in Washington, DC. Proceeds also go towards funding their initiatives -- to educate and provide support.

I'm always inspired by groups that pull together in the fight against cancer. What kind of fundraisers have you taken part in?

Tom Keilty of San Dimas, California lost his wife Ruth to breast cancer in 2005, 12 years after she was first diagnosed with the disease. From the very first day cancer entered their lives until the very last day of Ruth's life, the Keilty family received hundreds of hand-written notes for Ruth, filled with encouragement and support.

The notes are still arriving, this time for Keilty and his three children. The notes help strengthen this family's faith and help them grieve. The Keiltys are grateful for the trail of mail that has come their way -- and they ask others to consider writing their own their own notes of hope.

It's simple.

Just drop by a local retailer and pick up a special edition PaperMate Pink Ribbon Pen and Pink Pearl City of Hope Eraser. For each item sold through December 31, 2008, PaperMate will make a donation -- up to $200,000 -- to City of Hope for breast cancer research, education, and treatment.

Then sit down and Write for Hope in honor of someone battling breast cancer. Not only will you warm someone's heart, you will also earn the chance to win a $500 donation made in your honor to City of Hope Cancer Center.

Click here to enter.

All Samantha Kuehn had on her mind when she wore her new t-shirt to school -- with the slogan save the ta-tas plastered across the front -- was her mom, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last month and just received a mastectomy two weeks ago.

But officials at Oklahoma Union High School in Nowata County are not happy about the senior student's decision to wear such a shirt to school. The moment they saw it, in fact, they sent her home. And they told her not to return until she changed the shirt.

Kuehn and her mom, Michelle Bishop, are stunned that the shirt caused such an uproar.

"I was so surprised that my shirt would cause so much trouble," said Samantha. "Other girls wear low cut shirts or belly shirts and the boys wear shirts with put downs on them and no one bothers them. My shirt isn't really vulgar or offensive at all, and it means something to me. The principal told me 'It could be taken the wrong way'."

Principal Steven Barth believes he made the right call.

"If you check the Web site, the clothing sold there is suggestive," explained Barth. "I feel for the condition of her mother, but the shirt was inappropriate to wear to school."

Kuehn and her mom plan to take the matter to a Board of Education meeting on April 11. And you can bet Kuehn will be wearing her shirt.

Visit savethetatas.com for more information on this breast cancer initiative. Sales of all clothing items -- pick your size, slogan and color -- benefit the fight against the disease.

In the market for something pink? Something soft, cuddly, and awareness raising? Take a look at this baby.

It's a Beanie Baby, another product by TY -- maker of all sorts of handmade collectibles -- and this one is all about breast cancer awareness with its plush pink coat and signature pink ribbon.

Available on Amazon.com for the low, low price of $1.80, this is one hot deal. Grab it while is lasts.

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.

Advocacy runs far and wide. Thank goodness for that.

Think about this:

A new breast cancer non-profit organization has been launched especially for South Africans affected by the disease.

Founded by Samantha Galliet, the 31-year-old breast cancer survivor who made headlines with her "David and Goliath" battle to get life-saving Herceptin treatment, created PinkLink to give patients affected by breast cancer a voice.

PinkLink, focusing on the need for self-examination and awareness to encourage prevention and early detection of this silent epidemic, is intended to be a one-stop-shop with valuable South African based information on doctors, treatments, financial considerations, and health issues.