Sarah has been blogging about her battle with melanoma since May 2006. She begins with a post titled Something About Sarah where she chronicles the series of events leading up to her diagnosis.

July 2004

Have a bit of pain in right arm. Feels like "10 bees stinging me at once" deep inside my arm. Thought I pulled something at gym.

August 2004

Still have same occasional pain but not worried in the least. I'm enjoying my summer and playing soccer. Have tons of energy, working full time and going to school. Moving at end of August.

Thumbing through my teenage journals, I find pages upon pages of rants directed at my parents, my little brother, the popular kids in school and how utterly unfair and tragic it is that I wasn't allowed to watch Melrose Place. So it makes me feel pretty shallow and petty to read something like this, about an 18-year-old who writes about how much he wants to survive his battle with cancer in his online journal.

He began writing his innermost thoughts after he was diagnosed with Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare cancer that affects muscles, tendons and connective tissue. The strain of treatment caused him to all but lose his voice and without a way to get his words out, he started writing them down. His writing is stunningly articulate and supremely heartbreaking but also full of wisdom and somewhat hopeful, even though his chances of survival are slim. To anyone who takes their life for granted too often, I offer this, in his words:

"The way I see it, we're not entitled to one breath of air. We did nothing to earn it, so whatever we get is bonus. I might be more than a little disappointed with the hand I've been dealt, but this is what it is.... I don't believe you can ask for any more, but if I could ask for something, it would be to be able to go outside into the glorious spring air, feeling healthy and blissfully clueless as to how lucky I was for it, if only just for an hour."

I am moved beyond words.

It's been one year since I began writing for The Cancer Blog. According to statistics generated by this site, I've written 27,381 words and 793 posts. If you've been reading for this entire time, you surely know a lot about me. Not only do my posts reflect current news and issues, but they feature all sorts of personal stuff too. When considered together, my work here reflects just about every piece of my cancer journey, my inner most thoughts, my morals and values, my take on the world. But for those of you who haven't been reading for long, for those who have forgotten how I fit into the cancer puzzle, for those who want a recap, here's a rundown on me: Jacki Donaldson.

I was born and raised in Ohio but have also lived in Nevada, Virginia, and Florida -- my current home. My life always went pretty much according to plan -- I lived happily with my parents and one sister, faithfully attended school, went to college, got married, had two baby boys and a series of good jobs, and had just begun commenting to my family members about how lucky our family was not to have been affected by cancer. It seems just as I spoke this aloud, cancer arrived.

Today, I've been asked twice to offer more specifics about the information contained in posts. I thought I'd communicate my thoughts on this matter publicly so you all may benefit.

First, let me share that blogging is like talking to a friend -- Hey, did you hear about that new study about the breast cancer vaccine?, I might say to my neighbor before I explain the overall gist of the news I happened upon. The purpose of blogging is to communicate a few details and to spark interest, not to capture every speck of information on the topic. Digging up the nitty gritty is for you, the reader.

Your quest for more knowledge takes just one click. Once you read a post, look to the bottom left and you will see a blue link titled Read. Click here and you'll land at the news source related to the post. If you don't find what you're looking for here, just type some key words into Google and search for more. If bloggers happen to find news but there is no internet link -- this happens with magazines and other print publications -- the source will be noted at the end of the post.

If a post contains personal perspective, like this one, you won't find a Read link -- that's because the source is in the blogger's head. You are welcome to leave a comment requesting more information about these posts.

Now this whole lesson on the Read link does not mean you cannot ask questions of bloggers -- please do -- but if you desire the quickest route to post details, this link is your best bet.

I hope this is clear. And I hope you find exactly what you seek in this world where cancer is one hot topic.

If you have ever been diagnosed with breast cancer, it is quite likely that one of the first books, if not the only book, recommended to you was Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book. The New York Times rightly refers to her book as "the bible for women with breast cancer." Her second book, Dr. Susan Love's Menopause and Hormone Book, was one of the first to question the widespread use of postmenopausal hormones. Dr. Love is a genuinely trusted presence and clear voice in the world of women's breast health.

An eminent pioneer in the field of breast cancer for 30 years, and considered one of the founding mothers of the breast cancer advocacy movement, her mission, and the mission of the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, is to eradicate breast cancer within our lifetime and better the lives of women by generating resources and innovation for education, research, and advocacy on women's health issues.

Part of the recently redesigned Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation website is the addition of a blog. Dr. Love is blogging the San Antonio for the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium where she joins more than 8000 physicians, scientists, and breast cancer advocates in what is considered one of the most important conferences held each year regarding cancer.

On the first day, Dr. Love blogs both clinical and big picture highlights, including her take on two newsworthy study findings we posted here earlier today. The first concerns the common house mouse virus link to breast cancer and the second one regarding the dramatic decrease in breast cancer cases and the corresponding decrease in women using hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Dr. Love posted, "There was a sudden dramatic (7 percent) decrease in breast cancer in 2003 corresponding with the equally dramatic decrease in women who stopped taking HRT after the WHI study found it appeared to do more harm than good. The study found 14,000 less breast cancers in one year! In my mind this is the final proof we need that taking hormonal therapy after menopause for the prevention of the diseases of aging makes no sense."

For a trusted analysis of the conference, you can find Dr. Love blogging the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium here.

During the first week of October, bloggers submit photos of breasts as part of a blogging breast cancer fundraiser to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Launched five years ago by Robyn Pollman, a stay-at-home mother of two toddlers who blogs Shutterbug, and is webmistress of Wholly Matrimony!, the Boobie-Thon has raised over $35,000 dollars in total. This year, the 152 bloggers participating and donors of the Boobie-Thon raised over $9,000 dollars.

According to the Boobie-Thon, "Boobies. Although they come in all shapes and sizes (large, small, saggy and perky), they have one thing in common: The ability to develop cancer."

Over 1500 people have contributed photos of breasts to the blog, and the website is designed to be workplace safe -- in other words, the main page of the website does not display photos of breasts. You can view photos by visiting one of the galleries of breasts.

A personal note from Boobie-Thon founder Pollman regarding the history and controversy of this event can be read here -- because apparently, there are some who have objected to the Boobie-Thon and resorted to name-calling and other criticisms.

Hate the pink? In an effort to raise money for breast cancer organizations with diverse philosophies but common goals in stopping breast cancer, Pollman posted, "If you don't believe in pink. If you don't believe in what we're doing here. Well then for goodness sake, believe in something and donate to Breast Cancer Action."

To be inspired in how the blogging community can create a grassroots fundraiser based on one blogger's post of an idea, visit Boobie-Thon.

On August 9, Patty was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is 36 years old, a wife, a mother of four children -- and already a fighter in her battle that has just begun. So far, she has endured surgery, and she will soon proceed through months of intensive chemotherapy, one year of Herceptin treatment, and weeks and weeks of radiation. It's a familiar path for so many women -- a path marked by devastation, fear, worry, and panic. Yet if there is a gift that flows from cancer, it must be the support and concern and love that can cushion the blow delivered by this disease.

Patty has an abundance of support -- and it all starts with her husband, ironically an administrator of two cancer centers, who is blogging her journey with great strength and an overwhelming love for his wife whose own mother died of breast cancer in 1992 at the age of 46. Patty and her husband have been vigilant about monitoring her health over the years -- in light of her family history -- and Patty had been tested, screened, biopsied, and examined many times before her diagnosis. When her recent tests and biopsies revealed breast cancer, it was both shocking and expected.

Now Patty and her husband -- who authors the blog Patty's Journey -- are expecting the best of outcomes on this journey of a lifetime.

At the beginning of May, four skateboarders -- Rob Lewis, 26, of Winnipeg, Aaron Jackson, 25, of Summerside, P.E.I., Benjamin Jordan, 25, of Toronto and Carlos Koppen, 26, of Halifax -- left Halifax, Nova Scotia to skateboard across Canada to benefit breast cancer.

Traveling the Trans-Canada Highway, the group is averaging 100 kilometers (about 60 miles) a day, and has raised over $26,000 dollars for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The ultimate goal is to raise one million dollars -- one dollar at a time.

They are hoping to reach Vancouver, British Columbia in September or October. You can learn more about the skateboarders and keep up with the young men at the Push for the Cure website. They publish updates of the journey and excellent photography of their travels.

In a 45-day bike tour, and over halfway through, six international college students have been cycling across America to raise money for cancer research and blogging the daily journey at Cross Country for Cancer. There are three reasons I have been following the blog posts: one, these young men are spectacular for the undertaking of raising money for cancer research by pedaling coast-to-coast; two, some of the posts and photos with captions are Monty Python-esque hilarious (which I compared them to in the first post I blogged about them); and three, it has been interesting to see this country at pavement level through the eyes of a group not normally residents.

They have blogged gorgeous scenery seen and generous people met. They have also discovered where the Grinch works his summer job. In case you don't know, because I didn't, the Grinch is running the tram somewhere near Cotopaxi, Colorado.

Keri, who blogs 500 Miles 2 Nowhere, is blogging Blogathon 2006 to raise money for a cancer cure. Keri runs every day in honor of someone who has been diagnosed with cancer, raising money for cancer research that will lead to a cure. Fueled by coffee, and a laptop, she will spend part of the blogathon as a traveling blogger blogging every 30 minutes for the next 24 hours.

The birth of the Blogathon began in 2000, when blogger Cat Conner had an idea to blog Frytopia every 15 minutes for a continuous 24 hours. She watched movies, drank Mountain Dew and made 96 posts. After Connor successfully managed to accomplish the personal challenge of maniac marathon insomniac blogger madness, she decided it might make for a good fundraiser. Bloggers found sponsors and the Blogathon was on.

This is Keri's first Blogathon. Her charity of choice won't surprise any of her friends. Through her own blogging effort to keep blogging solid for the next 24 hours, she is raising money for the ACS Relay For Life of Hudson. If you have a minute, pop on in -- she promises words and photos and all things blogathon.

Cancer ... it's kind of a big deal. That is the tagline for the Cross Country for Cancer blog. In a benefit to raise awareness and funds for cancer research at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center of Johns Hopkins University and for the American Cancer Society, six international college students are spending 45 days of summer cycling across America. The Cross Country for Cancer cycling team, who began their 4,000 mile journey in San Francisco, California, 13 days ago, plan to finish in Baltimore, Maryland.

Cross Country for Cancer is blogging the daily challenges and adventures of the cycling journey across America where this group of college students -- John Lian of Amherst; Ezra Pierce of Oxford; Jacob Pierce of UC Santa Barbara; Patrick Garfjeld Roberts of Oxford; Max Capener of Oxford; and David Lauterbach of Wheaton -- basically came up with a big idea and without any self-admittedly realistic sense of what is possible, simply agreed to go for it.

If I could go back in time, I would not repeat my journey with breast cancer. I would choose a different path -- one free of disease and treatment and the fear that comes with it all. I would choose the route where my children would never hear me say, "mommy has cancer." The route where there would be less worry about dying, less worry about how my kids would do without me, less worry about how all my loose ends would be tied up without me here to tie them. I would choose another direction in a heartbeat. But there are some things I do treasure about my trip down breast cancer lane -- some things I do not wish to give back, even if given the chance to choose a different path. They are the hidden treasures I discovered along the way, in the midst of a harrowing, sometimes horrendous battle. There are many treasures that have come my way -- and I'm sure there are more to come. Here are seven of my valuable finds.

Our sister blogs, Autoblog and Blogging Baby have posted stories that illustrate the benefits of internet connection in lives touched by cancer. In a you-can-run-but-you-can't-hide karmic twist of justice, Matt Frame found his stolen 1967 Camaro SS online at an eBay auction. Frame and his father had rebuilt the car before his father died of cancer. Of course, the seller denied that it was the same car, but Frame was able to identify the car as the one stolen from him.

On the cosmic scales of fairness, balance was achieved when Anthony McCoy found the 1969 Chevrolet Camaro that he had spent twenty years helping his father restore before the death of his father to cancer. Although it was not stolen from him by a thief, it was lost due to financial circumstances when his mother was forced to sell the car after the loss of his father. Found at eBay, McCoy made the successful bid. To McCoy, it is priceless.

As today's final example of the power of the internet to break down any barriers of time and space that can separate us from justice, the scales of fairness, or the ability to nurture relationships beyond the immediate, Jason Levine is a pediatric oncologist who stays in touch by email with his young cancer patients and their families by visiting their personal websites. Blogging Baby found a sweet and humorous story told of how a young patient role plays his email contact with her.

The Lung Cancer Alliance, LCA, has launched a new blog for the lung cancer community. LCA will be blogging news, current events and policies affecting lung cancer of interest to the lung cancer community. "LCA's newest communications vehicle is right in line with our goals for elevating public awareness of the number one cancer killer, educating health policy makers and advocating for more funds for research, earlier detection and better treatments for lung cancer," states Laurie Fenton, LCA president.

According to LCA, lung cancer causes more deaths in the United States than any other cancer. More than 60 percent of new lung cancers are diagnosed in people who never smoked or who managed to quit smoking.  The initiatives of Lung Cancer Alliance aim to make fighting lung cancer a priority for more people and change public perceptions about the disease. Welcome to the blogosphere LCA and Ms. Fenton!

Tom de Bruin, a young man diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, is blogging Third Time Lucky about being told that he was in cancer remission - again, only to find out that he is not in remission - again. Tom is wrestling with the shock of believing he had beaten cancer for the second time, only to be faced with cancer for the third time. He said he is amazingly calm, but apprehensive about telling his loved ones of the newest cancer news. He knows they will be disappointed.

Tom questions if the cancer treatments of the past are effective, and if he should be walking down a different path to healing. He is the webmaster of Jimmy Teens TV: videos by teens with cancer, featuring personal stories of teens with cancer, told in their own words. The official launch of the DVD and website was yesterday. In one week, Tom has experienced the worst of times, and the best of times, and ponders what direction to head in next, now that the shattering presence of cancer has reappeared in his life for the third time.