When Dr. Jian-Wei Gu went to Mississippi to study the cardiovascular system and the process of blood vessel growth, he had no idea he'd make national headlines about his research into the world of cancer.

Gu, assistant professor of physiology and biophysics at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, says his discovery of the mechanism by which alcohol consumption causes tumor growth was purely accidental.

And extremely significant.

Scientists have known for a hundred years about the link between alcohol consumption and cancer. A study from Paris in 1910 showed that 80 percent of patients with cancer of the esophagus or gastric track were alcoholics. More recently, scientists have found correlations between alcohol consumption and cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, large bowel, and even the breasts. Yet lab experiments have always failed to show the effects in animals that investigators knew to be true in humans.

Until now.

It seems past studies used too much alcohol -- in concentrations of 20 percent -- and the animals just wasted away while showing no tumor growth. But when Gu used concentrations of one percent -- about one to two drinks per day in humans -- to study blood vessel growth, he detected stimulated tumor growth in both chick embryos and mice. Thus, his cancer discovery was born.

Gu has further concluded that melanoma cancers in mice grew significantly faster and larger in the mice who consumed the equivalent of one or two alcoholic drinks a day than the mice receiving no alcohol.

Gu's findings, now confirmed by other scientists, are evidence of what many have long suspected -- alcohol, even in moderation, increases cancer risk.

Lifetime TV is offering an opportunity to honor a loved one and help give to breast cancer charity. Text PINK to 58463 (LTIME) and Lifetime TV will donate their portion of the text fee to breast cancer charities.

Beginning October 11th, the name and state of the person you submit during the text message will begin appearing on LifetimeTV.com. In addition, the text message may be aired during the following movies: Monday, October 16 at 2 pm et/pt Two Against Time; Friday, October 20 at 7 pm et/pt Four Extraordinary Women; Sunday, October 22 at 1 pm et/pt Encore: Four Extraordinary Women; Monday, October 23 at 2 pm et/pt In a Private Garden; and Saturday, October 28 at 8 pm et/pt Encore: Why I Wore Lipstick.

Sprint, Nextel, Verizon Wireless, Cingular, Alltel, Boost, and Dobson are the participating wireless carriers. For complete details, and charges, Honor a Loved One: Make a Text Dedication Terms and Conditions. Visit here to learn more about the ten breast cancer organizations Lifetime TV supports.

If you were planning to purchase the following books online, consider buying them through the Lifetime TV website, and Lifetime TV will donate all net profits to the ten breast cancer charities they support. Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy by Geralyn Lucas; New Cook Book, Limited Edition "Pink Plaid": For Breast Cancer Awareness by Better Homes & Gardens; Saving Graces: Finding Solace and Strength from Friends and Strangers by Elizabeth Edwards; Star Palate: Celebrity Cookbook for a Cure by Tami Agassi; In Great Taste: Fresh, Simple Recipes for Eating and Living Well by Evelyn H. Lauder and Dr. Susan Love's Breast Book: 4th Edition 2005 by Susan M. Love.

via: Lifetime TV The Daily Pink

When the First Lady of Surfing, Rell Sunn was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 32, she was told she had months to live. She lived each day as if it were her last -- with complete passion and compassion -- and lived another 15 years.

When I posted that each year during the Luau & Longboard Invitational event to raise money for the Moores UC San Diego Cancer Center, the Rell Sunn-Queen of Makaha Award in memory of Rell Sunn is given to honor the person or organization that best displays the qualities of compassion, unselfishness, aloha spirit and dedication in the fight against cancer -- I went in search to learn more about Rell Sunn.

An unavoidable and unfortunate side effect of most chemotherapy drug treatments is hair loss. In making the best of a bad situation, Chemo Chicks features tattoo kits to adorn your head, re-create your eyebrows and have some fun with your temporary baldness.

The product, Earth Henna Body Painting Kits, is based on Mehndi, the art of henna painting on the body, practiced for thousands of years in India, Africa and the Middle East. For a bit of fun folklore, Chemo Chicks shares that the crushed leaves of the henna plant used to make henna are believed to bring love, luck and prosperity. Henna tattoos are painless and not permanent -- the henna tattoos fade gradually over weeks.

According to the Earth Henna tattoo kit product description, the henna paste lasts 4-6 weeks once mixed; contains enough henna to do two head tattoos or many eyebrows; and comes with head patterns and eyebrow stencils -- or you can create your own.

The body painting tattoo kit is based on a formula created after Artsy Chick Jen -- who is a scenic artist and painter for film and television -- after spending hours researching this ancient art. Together with Jana Rosenblatt, founder of Chemo Chicks and ovarian cancer survivor, they created a kit that other cancer patients can have fun using to lessen the trauma of chemotherapy hair loss. According to Jana, her head tattoo makes every one who sees it smile -- which makes her smile.

According to Jean Thompson, CEO and Chief Chick of Chick Chocolates, eating chocolate is an experience that can elevate a woman into a spiritual dimension of complete bliss. Thompson suggests that chocolate is more about a relationship that nurtures and satisfies -- much like the feeling of being in love -- than simply the enjoyment of a sweet treat. At Chick Chocolates, chocolates have distinct personalities too, just like women do. Thompson, who waxes poetic in all things chocolate-related -- sells chocolate -- that's true -- but she is not merely in the business of making a profit. In the case of her Survivor Chick chocolate product line, she is also helping support organizations dedicated to women's cancers.

The Survivor Chick chocolates reflect women who are compassionate, nurturing, and strong fighters. The personality product profile for Survivor Chick chocolates states that it is vibrant, enthusiastic and full of life -- embracing everyone and everything as a wonderful gift. A smooth white chocolate flavored with the sweet taste of fresh raspberries all wrapped up in a delicious coat of rich, dark chocolate. 100 percent of the profit from Survivor Chick chocolate sales goes to organizations that are fighting women's cancers. Chick Chocolates is part of Seattle Chocolate Company, a company that specializes in all-natural gourmet chocolates. Thanks to Chick Chocolates, you can indulge your passion for chocolate with Survivor Chick chocolates, and know you are supporting a good cause. Taking a fun approach in contribution to a campaign designed to make a difference in the life of someone else is the best of all worlds. And who doesn't like chocolate? Well, I bet your mother does -- and Mother's Day is only two weeks from now.