The beloved member of our family, Spotted Calamity Jane, the oldest of our two Dalmatians had to be put down on February 17. It was the hardest decision I personally ever had to make, knowing when it was time to put her out of too much pain. The tears continue to flow and I know will for a long time. She had survived breast cancer at the age of 4 and continued to live a happy life loving her runs on the beach. 2 1/2 years ago she was diagnosed with renal failure, something that is irreversible but we continued to give her a low protein diet and top notch vet care and monitoring that included some acupuncture. It came to a point where we knew the pain was outweighing the good quality of life and the end was not far away and it was time to end the suffering. For 13 years she brought us joy and laughter and unconditional love. She was the leader and companion to our other 8 year old Dalmatian Kiva, who is deaf and followed Cally everywhere watching everything that she did. Watching the two of them running and playing on the beach in the water and sand are memories I will always carry. So we decided to have Cally cremated so we could spread her ashes out on the beach that she loved so much.

Then we were faced with another heart break. Seventeen days later we were told that her ashes had been lost and it floored us. It sent me curled up in a bed crying for a whole day. Family members and friends were outraged as our hearts once again tried to overcome the loss. We were told to get an attorney and sue for compensation. In quietness I walked through the trails in the woods near our house and thought what good could come from all of this. The vet of course refunded our money and offered to buy a memorial stone or something for us. I told him we would think about things. Then I decided that her life and the joy that she brought us should go to something positive and that I did not want to go through the stress and negativity of a law suit and staring at a meaningless stone memorial would not make it any better. That wouldn't change anything. So I suggested to the vet and the cremation services company, to donate money to my favorite charity, Indie Music For Life, that works with independent singer songwriters and comedians to raise money for cancer research and educational awareness programs on the benefits of music and laughter as therapy to cancer patients. This turned the tragedy into a positive. We have the great memories of her life with us and the knowledge that even in her death she has brought more good to the world. Cally is the beautiful dark colored Dalmatian on the left in this picture. Her spots continued to grow and grow which made her look like a black Dalmatian with white spots. We called her "our little negative" for those of you in the photography field that understand reverse imaging. She was a rare jewel and always a positive in our lives.

Indie Music For Life non profit raising funds for cancer research and for educational awareness of music as therapy for cancer patients has launched a new entity of their non profit called Laughs For Life. Indie Music For Life works with independent singer songwriters in fund raising concert events and producing yearly compilation CDs. Laughs For Life will work with comedians and will produce comedy events and comedy CDs. Comedian Shelly Ryan in Atlanta Georgia was "MC" at a combination dinner and music fund raising event in Georgia last year and the idea was spawned to start including comedy into the shows and to also set up separate comedy events to bring in funds.

Indie Music For Life just finished the submission process for artists to send in songs to be considered for the 2007 compilation CD project and the selected artists will be announced soon. The CD will go up for sale at online music locations soon.

Shelly Ryan is heading up the comedy CD project and working on events for the Southeast region and can be reached at shellyryancomedy@yahoo.com if you are interested in becoming a part of this project. For more information on music happenings and getting involved with the music event fund raising you can contact indiemusicforlife@yahoo.com.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004, television journalist and young mother Ann Murray Paige set up a video camera in her bedroom to chronicle her struggle to fight and survive breast cancer.

With filmmaker Linda Pattillo, Paige, who was 38 at the time of her breast cancer diagnosis, documents her thoughts and feelings and the experiences of her family as they go with her through cancer treatment and recovery.

"Ann's journey reveals her previously untapped power as she fights not only for her own survival, but to be there for her children. The Breast Cancer Diaries unflinchingly documents one woman's battle against a disease that every woman fears. It does so with wit, compassion, insight and best of all--an unvarnished commitment to the embrace of life!" You can watch Uncut Video excerpt interviews with Paige here.

You can learn more about the documentary here. You can read Paige's blog here.

When my treatment for breast cancer was just around the corner, I asked a nurse about a dietitian on staff who I might talk to -- or a nutritionist or anyone who could help me wrap my head around eating right and staying healthy and maintaining my weight during treatment. I was told that I didn't need to talk to anyone -- that I would likely not lose any weight and would be fine. I was aware at the time that a referral to a dietitian often occurs with weight loss associated with treatment -- but it seemed that a referral for merely staying on track was just as important. Yet this seemed not to be an issue.  And I never was referred to anyone. So I found someone on my own -- and independent nutritionist who came to my house just after my first dose of chemotherapy, on a day when I felt nauseated and foggy and sick. It was a perfect time to talk to someone about how to eat during this difficult time, and the wisdom that was shared with me is as fresh in my mind today as it was 18 months ago -- when I sat at my dining room table with my mom and a young woman who knew exactly what I wanted to know.