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.

On July 20 in Portland, Oregon, Pearl Jam held a benefit concert for the Northwest Chapter of the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) to raise awareness for a disease no one likes to discuss. Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready was diagnosed with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis twenty years ago and has gone public with what he personally felt for many years was an embarrassing disease.

McCready, a spokesperson for the NW Chapter of CCFA, said, "Having struggled with Crohn's disease for more than 20 years and experienced first hand difficulties in getting a diagnosis and treatment, I want to help others learn about the disease, how it is affecting them and how to find ways to cope."

UCB, a leading global biopharmaceutical company that recently launched Crohns and Me, an information and resource website for people with Crohn's disease, joined with CCFA, in sponsoring the Pearl Jam Portland benefit concert.

In a feature published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Julietta Jameson asks the same question many of us have asked -- Is the compassionate celebrity the new public pest? If you are talking about Paris Hilton's insatiable self-promotion in grabbing one more photo-op by making a shallow meaningless promise to a charity for kids with cancer, the answer is a resounding yes. If you are talking about U2's Bono, who regularly meets with world leaders and often knows far more about the subject under discussion than the politicians do, then the answer is an emphatic no.

Then there are all the celebrities who fall between the extremes of Hilton and Bono, who lend their name and some of their time, for noble reasons and then too for the less-admirable ambition of keeping themselves in the news, to causes that need attention for the fundraising needed to keep the charity or cause going.

Last week, the postponement of the final ten dates of U2's Vertigo '06 tour was announced, due to the illness of an immediate family member of one of the band. Speculation for the cause of the postponement pointed to U2 guitar player Dave Evans, The Edge, seven-year-old daughter Sian, who has leukemia. However, the only public comment Evans has made regarding Sian, his daughter, was in February, when he dedicated one of U2's Grammy Awards to her.

Today, Bono made an official public announcement that U2 will reschedule the postponed shows for November.

As to why the shows were cancelled, "I can't really get into details why," Bono said. "There was a lot of distress and angst." Bono promised that the rescheduled shows would be something special. "It will be the only time, you know, we get a chance to play these songs for a long time, it will be extraordinary."

If the tour was temporarily postponed due to Sian Evans leukemia, it is clear that U2 and the Evans family do not wish to go into detail with the public the very private and often painful moments a family faces when a child is struggling to overcome cancer. Out of respect, I am going with Bono's public announcement, and leaving it at that. We wish the Evans family, and little Sian, only the best for now, and into the future.

Kanye West, who was scheduled to support U2 on their Vertigo ’06 Tour, will continue his Touch the Sky Tour, after it was announced that U2's Vertigo Tour will be postponed. West will start in Auckland, NZ on March 16 then head to Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide in Australia.

U2 has postponed the final ten dates of the Vertigo '06 tour due to family illness. Dave Evans, The Edge, may have been called home to be at the bedside of Sian, his daughter, who was diagnosed with leukemia.

"Of course my prayers are with U2 and their families at this time, and I'm sure their fans share that sentiment with me,” said West, who performed two nights ago in Paris, France. "It's been an incredible experience touring with U2. They are a truly special band, a great organization, and their fans are the best in the world."

The tour promoter of The Next Adventure has announced the postponement of the final ten dates of U2's Vertigo '06 tour, due to the illness of an immediate family member of one of the band. New Zealand, Australia and Hawaii fans will be affected by the cancellation of these show dates. In January, The Irish Voice newspaper reported that U2 guitar player Dave Evans, The Edge, seven-year-old daughter Sian was diagnosed with leukemia. The only public comment Evans has made regarding Sian, his daughter, was in February, when he dedicated one of U2's Grammy Awards to her. Speculation surrounding the postponement of the remainder of U2's Vertigo '06 tour is that Dave Evans was called home to be at his daughter's bedside. Our prayers are with the Evans family, as we hope only the best for little Sian. In 2001, Bono lost his father to cancer.