Adriene Hughes was diagnosed with breast cancer shortly after her 44th year of living. She found her lump after participating in a 5K walk, which for some reason, caused her breast to swell. The swelling led her to the lump -- and that's how she discovered her cancer. Adriene lives in Southern California, works as a media specialist, and spends her time taking photographs, knitting, and baking cookies and breads.

I have never met Adriene, have never spoken with Adriene. But we have communicated through our on-line journals and through e-mail ever since November 2004 -- when we each received a breast cancer diagnosis that changed the course of our lives forever.

Adriene is a gem, a treasure, a true inspiration. And here are her words.

As women facing the challenges of a breast cancer diagnosis and the triumphs of living beyond breast cancer, we share our stories and ourselves in the hope that it will help other women facing the same challenges in the fight to survive breast cancer and the special issues of breast cancer survivorship.

Beginning today, and lasting through October, AOL People Connection's Think Pink! will be featuring breast cancer prevention, diagnosis, treatment and survivorship resources within a dynamic interactive online community for women to learn about breast cancer, share their breast cancer story and make connections with other breast cancer survivors.

When you visit Think Pink! you will discover a blog featuring personal stories of breast cancer survivors told in their own words; a gallery of inspirational photos submitted by women going through breast cancer treatment and women who are living beyond breast cancer; articles and educational information about breast cancer; special profiles of breast cancer survivors; shop for a cause pink products; how to join a letter writing campaign to increase federal funding for breast cancer research and enhance the involvement and influence of trained breast cancer consumer advocates in all aspects of breast cancer policy and research; sign up for a breast check monthly reminder; learn about ongoing breast cancer events; and more.

While there, you are invited to share your story, submit a photo, start your own blog or create an AIM page.

Alyssa Bruno, who is five years old, has been diagnosed with diffuse pontine glioma, a brain stem cancer. With a birthday card and a penny for good luck, you can help little Alyssa of Henrietta celebrate her birthday. On August 2, when Alyssa turns six years old, the Federation of Social Workers will deliver all the birthday cards and lucky pennies to Alyssa.

The request began as an email send out by one of Alyssa's teachers. She sent out the email requesting birthday cards and lucky pennies for Alyssa, with an additional request that the person receiving the email forward it on to others. As of now, the federation has received 35 birthday cards for Alyssa. If you would like to brighten the day of a little girl who is facing cancer on her very special day, send her a birthday card to:

Alyssa Bruno Birthday Cards
Federation of Social Workers
167 Flanders Street (D-12)
Rochester, New York 14619

Don't forget the lucky penny!

Breast cancer made Pink Penguin Press founder Jim Powers feel helpless when his aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer. He took a look at the women in his family -- at his daughters -- and realized that they were surrounded by breast cancer. Both grandmothers had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Their aunt had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Their mother had a benign breast tumor removed.

Powers decided to stop feeling helpless and make a difference by dedicating his life to fighting breast cancer. He has founded Pink Penguin Press, a non-profit organization with a purpose of beating breast cancer. This coming October, Pink Penguin Press will introduce the premiere issue of BC Nutrition Magazine, an alternative publication featuring up-to-date information on nutrition, alternative therapies, breast cancer research, diet, and lifestyle in a self-education and lifestyle awareness format. A special free preview issue is available now at local health food stores.

Within Pink Penguin Press, you can sign up for Life Saving Email, a free monthly self-check reminder system. Each monthly email is filled with the latest research, valuable nutrition advice and directions to guide you through a breast self-exam. Life Saving Email also sends out annual reminders for subscriber scheduled mammograms. In addition, there are links to educational information about breast health and breast cancer. Ribbon Nutrition is a sponsor of Pink Penguin Press.

What a great idea! It's the middle of the night and you have a concern about your cancer diagnosis or cancer treatment nagging away at you. Where are you going to go to find the answer -- who are you going to ask? If you live in the United Kingdom, Ask the nurse is a confidential email question and answer service for women diagnosed and living with breast cancer. As long as you live in, or are receiving cancer treatment in the UK, you can use this free service provided by Breast Cancer Care. They even publish a free helpline number to call if you need an immediate answer, as the email answer to your question can take up to two days. Still, even with the two-day wait, this is a terrific service. When you are newly-diagnosed with breast cancer, or going through cancer treatment, there are so many questions that cross your mind. This service allows you to ask questions you might forget to ask, or are reluctant to ask, in person during a doctor visit or treatment session.

Created to benefit charity, MagicTaxi is a brand new email service being launched today. Each time you send and receive email, 50 percent of the net revenue MagicTaxi makes from advertising goes to the UK charity of your choice. One of the charities you can choose to benefit is Breakthrough Breast Cancer, UK’s leading breast cancer charity dedicated to breast cancer awareness and research. The more email you send and receive, the more money you raise for your chosen charity. Visit MagicTaxi for the specifics on the free email services provided. As a special offer, if you sign up in April, 100 percent of the revenue raised will go to Breakthrough Breast Cancer for the next three months.

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.