Kim Goebel was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1999, at the age of 43. Her sister Kris noticed a lot of moms saying "How am I going to tell my kids?"

Partners for a Cure Foundation was founded by the sisters and they began planning a doll and a book to familiarize children with the physical and emotional effects of cancer treatment. The dolls are soft and lovable but depict the hard truth in a special way so that the kids will be less scared of what is happening with their mom's treatment process.

Feeling beautiful when going through breast cancer is hard task. I received a few comments on the new pink ribbon breast cancer Barbie by Mattel. A young woman at the Young Survival Coalition has come up with her own version of Barbie. Here she is.

Ok, so I know all about the argument that the new Barbie is raising money and gives hope. I agree with many of my fellow young survivors that it really isn't a hope giving product. There are reasons to go on both sides of the issue (we are also talking about Barbie here so lets not get too excited).

Companies do need to make a profit and I'm very grateful that they would create a product that contributes to breast cancer research. Some things just seem at times crazy to the survivors of this disease. How can you blame us?

I also wrote about a pink brush that was being signed by celebrities. It's just either funny or insulting that a brush is being marketed when many breast cancer patients are bald. Thanks for the pink brush signed by Hillary Duff! yeah!

Thanks to Linnea for great tip and the real breast cancer Barbie doll she created.

Breast cancer Barbie by Linnea comes complete with bandages from her surgery, drains included. She also has an IV of the potent chemotherapy Adriamycin and a cute bald head!

*different color wigs included.

Mattel has come out with a breast cancer pink ribbon Barbie doll. They are donating $250,000 to The Susan G. Komen Foundation.

As a member of the Young Survival Coalition (YSC) I often go on the website to join in the discussions on the bulletin board. The majority of girls that commented about the new breast cancer Barbie don't seem to be too thrilled with the idea. Their first question is what the dolls purpose is? It's great to raise awareness and raise funds but what does this doll tell us about breast cancer?

One thing young women with breast cancer don't feel like is Barbie. Especially a Barbie that looks like this picture. Some of the members of the YSC have a few suggestions for the Mattel Company.

-Barbie should be bald and have assorted wigs included instead of the bouffant hairdo.

-Barbie's skin should be more grayish and she should be at least 10lbs overweight from steroids.

-some accessories in the box should also include a little toilet to throw up in, many prescription bottles that she can't keep track of and clippers for when she needs to buzz her hair.

Ok, so the breast cancer Barbie looks like a princess. I'm fine with it but it would be cool if they made her more realistic.

Bald Barbie is probably beautiful too!

Lori Fischer began making handmade dolls for her children. Soon her friends were asking for a one-of-a-kind doll of their own. Once, when a friend was suffering hair loss, she made a doll without hair -- and she included wigs and hats for the doll as accessories and gave it to her friend. She started holding doll making workshops. According to Fischer, women and their daughters, or groups of friends, have spent the day sewing, eating, and socializing in a way that has all but been forgotten.

In the fifteen years since she began making dolls, her dolls have evolved into works of art that are shown in local art galleries.

Last year, she was awarded a grant through the City of Oakland's Cultural Arts Funding Program to visit children in two hospitals for the purpose of teaching them to make hand-stitched, one-of-a-kind dolls.

The children that she works with are cancer patients at the Bone Marrow Transplant Center who are required to spend long periods of time in the hospital. Spending time making a doll takes the child's mind off the struggles and challenges they face. Each child is allowed to be expressive and create a doll that reflects individual creativity and personality.

Some of the dolls the children have made, and dolls that Fischer makes, can be seen at Dolls4ArtSake.