It is no secret that our culture has a fascination with celebrities. In attempting to figure out exactly why, I have come to the conclusion it might be no more of a mystery other than they are people we all know in common. As human beings, we are naturally intrigued by other human beings. But if I try to talk to you about my neighbor, and you do not live in my neighborhood, you will have no idea who I am talking about or how to relate information I am sharing about that person because you have no point of reference. However, celebrities are people we all know of -- they become familiar in that we hear about them every day -- we see images of them every day in the news.

Before being diagnosed with breast cancer, a woman might not have paid much attention to breast cancer. Oh yes, the breast cancer awareness campaigns are raising awareness, but we do not really like to spent too much time dwelling on potentially life-threatening events unless we are compelled to do so -- usually with a breast cancer diagnosis.

Over at Silicon Valley Moms Blog, Tekla blogged the top ten things this group of moms have learned since they began blogging seven months ago in Moms boobs and other lessons learned. Interestingly, and unfortunately accurate, number six on the list is:

"6. If you talk about breast cancer, your blog stats go way down for days and days. Everyone knows it's something women need to deal with, but clearly no one wants to read about it."

And so, if you are newly-diagnosed with breast cancer, or know someone who is, and haven't spent much time focused on breast cancer before diagnosis, there are many women we all know in common who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and many of them as breast cancer survivors. In time, you will personally meet other breast cancer survivors and realize you are not alone and be inspired by their hope, strength, courage and companionship. Until then, you can read an extensive list of 100 famous women who have faced breast cancer down and gone on -- here.

Grammy-award winning singer, songwriter, and breast cancer survivor Sheryl Crow was honored with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation's Humanitarian Award at the annual symposium and luncheon event at the Waldorf Astoria in New York City. Crow has joined the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) to promote breast cancer prevention and raise funds for research in finding a cure.

During her music tour with John Mayer, Crow donated 50 cents of every concert ticket sold to the breast cancer organization. She also offered a breast cancer t-shirt with her logo design for sale with 100 percent of the profits donated to BCRF. The t-shirt is now available on Crow's website.

In addition, Crow has lent her support to jewelry designer Mauri Pioppo, who created a very special Sundari necklace to benefit BCRF during October. According to the product details, "Sundari is the Hindu Goddess of beauty and grace, and Mauri Pioppo was inspired by Sheryl Crow's courage in the face of her personal experience with breast cancer to createthe Sundari necklace."

Crow is an incredibly talented singer songwriter. She is also an awesome lady with a healthy sense of humor. During the luncheon in which she was given the Humanitarian Award, she remarked to the audience, "In a show business world that puts so much emphasis on cleavage, I was never known for my breasts until I got breast cancer."

Last Monday, singer songwriter and breast cancer survivor Sheryl Crow appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show to help Ellen, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, launch the show's recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Six months ago, Crow was diagnosed with breast cancer, and is happy to say that during her last check-up she got an all clear and is in breast cancer remission. Crow talked about the impact breast cancer had -- that when you hit bottom it is a place where you meet yourself. At that time, Crow realized she needed to take care of herself by putting herself first, as opposed to the many years when her focus was on taking care of others. Crow described herself as very self-critical before breast cancer, and was a woman who could not say no to others -- their happiness was a priority that came before her own. Ellen joked that bottom for Crow might mean breaking up with your fiance (Lance Armstrong) and getting a breast cancer diagnosis a month later. Crow laughed and nodded in agreement.

Crow talked about some of the dangers you can avoid to promote cancer prevention such as not leaving bottled water out in the sun. The chemical reaction of the heated plastic to the water is known to be carcinogenic. Other dangers include dietary changes a woman can make, and we have shared her tips in a past post here.

Crow, who is currently touring with John Mayer, stated, "It's what you do with experience that really defines who you become." Crow wears a gold bracelet with the words Breathe and That which does not kill me makes me stronger as well as her diagnosis date inscribed on it as a spiritual reminder.

On Monday, the sublimely hilarious Ellen DeGeneres, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor, dedicated her show to Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

During the monologue, Ellen discussed the philosophy of laughter being the best medicine, and in her uniquely funny way gave an example to support this view by stating that Elton John is proof that looking through rose-colored glasses will alter your optimism because Elton John is a very happy person.

She imparted wisdom that being in a good mood makes your body feel better, that optimistic people heal quicker and that positivity is an energy you cannot see but is very real. Again, Ellen provided an example of how this works when she compared what happens when you hug someone who is wearing too much perfume and you walk away smelling like the perfume. Energy is like that. It rubs off on others.

Breast cancer survivor Sheryl Crow appeared on the show, as did Christina Applegate, whose mother is a breast cancer survivor. Four audience members had their hair cut on television and donated the locks to Pantene's Beautiful Lengths. Pantene's Beautiful Lengths makes wigs for women with cancer. Ellen blogs her monologues and other tidbits of information and this month, her website provides breast cancer information.

A few breast cancer fast facts:

• One out of eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer. In 1960 it was one out of 14.
• An estimated 212,920 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among women in the US during 2006. This does not take DCIS into account.
• An estimated 41,430 breast cancer deaths are anticipated this year.
• Female breast cancer rates have continued to increase, although at a slower rate than in years past.
• Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in American women.
• Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for women 40-55 years of age.
• There are 2 million women living in the U.S. who have been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer.
• There are another 1 million women living with breast cancer who have not yet been diagnosed.
• Every woman is at risk for breast cancer, and that risk increases with age. About 77 percent of breast cancer diagnoses occur in women age 50 and older.
• Seventy percent of breast cancers occur in women who have no identifiable risk factors.
  

As Ellen told the audience of breast cancer survivors, "We can beat this thing."

It might be celebrity gossip but news is flying around the internet that Nike has offered Jennifer Aniston a record deal for her celebrity endorsement in exchange for donations that will benefit cancer research. It is being reported Aniston will be appearing in both television commercials and print ads for Nike.

According to the buzz, it might be the most Nike has ever offered for a celebrity endorsement. For Jennifer Aniston? Is she that popular? I am not being snarky. Really I am not. I just didn't know she was popular on the level that Nike would offer her the most money they have offered anyone for a celebrity endorsement.

Not long ago, Sheryl Crow publicly thanked her family and friends Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox for keeping her spirits up during the first days after breast cancer diagnosis. Maybe there is something to the Nike deal. If the amount of money being reported is true, and it is earmarked for cancer charity -- then it's worthy of a mention at The Cancer Blog. We appreciate any sizable donation to cancer research.

Celebrities have a way of motivating the public to take action. They help dictate fashion trends and set standards for mostly unattainable body shapes and sizes. They add hype to political views and philosophies and make influential statements about all sorts of issues. Like breast cancer. With its backing from celebrities like Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow and Kylie Minogue -- all breast cancer survivors who are speaking out and raising awareness -- breast cancer has burst onto the media scene and is receiving powerful, positive attention. Kylie Minogue's public diagnosis spurred so many women into getting their breasts checked that the Medical Journal of Australia reports a 40 percent increase in bookings for mammograms. But sometimes, celebrity diagnoses don't elicit a response at all.

Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last month -- yet the announcement barely registered on the public's radar. Perhaps he does not command the same kind of reaction as pop singers do. Or perhaps it's the type of cancer that keeps his public battle on the sidelines.

The breasts are a visible icon of femininity -- out in the forefront for all to see. And so the issue of breast cancer is in the forefront. The pancreas, on the other hand, are hidden behind the stomach and are out of sight -- and out of mind. When Apple chief executive Steve Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004, he didn't even know where to find his pancreas. And so this organ does not attract much fanfare -- and therefore does not attract the funding and research that breast cancer does. Which is sad because this cancer is not just hidden inside the body. It's also a hidden killer. It can't be felt like breasts can be felt. And there is no easy way to detect it, like with mammogram and other imaging techniques. Often a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer -- the fourth leading cause of cancer death in Western societies -- comes with a death sentence. And more and more, breast cancer diagnoses come with promising expectations of survival.

We may not know as much as about pancreatic cancer as we do breast cancer. But there are some behaviors that may contribute to this deadly disease. So in the spirit of prevention, consider this:

• If nobody smoked, 25 percent of pancreatic cancer cases wouldn't happen.
• Alcohol consumption can increase the risk by 15 times.
• Some studies link high meat consumption and low vegetable consumption to incidences of pancreatic cancer.
• Folate, the B vitamin in green leafy vegetables, oranges, legumes, and whole grains seem to reduce the risk. But folate supplements don't seem to have the same healthy effect.

Sheryl Crow will resume the summer tour dates put on indefinite hold when she underwent breast cancer surgery last month. Featuring the Grammy nominated album, Wildflower, the tour begins June 12 at the Murat Theater in Indianapolis and ends July 8 with a stop at Boston's Fenway Park, where she opens for the Dave Matthews Band. Country artist Jack Ingram is set to open most of her shows.

Just weeks after breaking off an engagement with Lance Armstrong, Crow announced her breast cancer diagnosis. At the time, she underwent minimally-invasive breast cancer surgery. One week after the operation, Crow appeared at the Power Benefit in Beverly Hills sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue, where she watched as Melissa Etheridge, breast cancer survivor, was honored. Currently, she is undergoing radiation as a preventative breast cancer treatment.

In a letter to her fans, she writes, "I cannot begin to tell you how much your cards, messages, letters, flowers, and prayers have meant to me these last few weeks. Needless to say, this has been a really challenging time for me and as I have always said, I have the greatest, most generous fans in the world."

Concert dates can be found on Sheryl Crow's website. They include shows in the Midwest, South, Texas, Boston and Canada.

The purpose of awareness, education and fundraising campaigns about cancer is cancer prevention, and ultimately, a cancer cure. What we do not know can hurt us, and what we do not learn may hasten our death. Women celebrities who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, and allow the public access to information about one of the most significantly personal and life-altering moments that can happen in a woman's life, raise public awareness, and funds, for cancer causes. Kylie Minogue, Melissa Etheridge, Anastacia, and most recently, Sheryl Crow, are women celebrities who have been public about their diagnosis of breast cancer. Each one of these women lend their celebrity status to raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research, prevention and cure.

Anastacia, who enjoys worldwide popularity as a singer/songwriter, diagnosed with breast cancer in 2003, is a breast cancer survivor who is promoting breast cancer prevention and support for younger women diagnosed with breast cancer by establishing the Anastacia Fund within The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Her primary focus is encouraging women under 40 to go in for breast cancer screening, self-examination and mammograms, even when there is no family history of breast cancer. Anastacia believes it saved her life.

On Wednesday, Sheryl Crow, 44, underwent successful surgery for breast cancer. Her doctors confirm her prognosis as excellent. Crow will receive follow-up radiation treatment. Crow is postponing her North America tour scheduled to begin this spring.

Crow issued a public statement on her website, in which she said, “I am joining the more than 200,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. More than 10 million Americans are living with cancer, and they demonstrate the ever-increasing possibility of living beyond cancer. I am inspired by the brave women who have faced this battle before me and grateful for the support of family and friends.”

Crow directs cancer survivors to LIVESTRONG SurvivorCare for assistance in facing the everyday physical, emotional and practical challenges of cancer through education, qualified referrals and counseling services.