My friend and fellow young breast cancer survivor has received a great honor to serve as one of the 55 delegates representing breast cancer advocates worldwide at Ignite the Promise: Global Advocate Summit in Hungary.

I'm so proud of you Deb!

This press release says it all:

Deb Kirkland, of Baltimore, MD, has been selected to serve as one of 55 delegates representing breast cancer advocates worldwide at "Ignite the Promise: Global Advocate Summit" in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 29-30, 2007.

Organized by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the world's largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, the summit will pair the 25 U.S. breast cancer advocates with their counterparts from 30 countries. The overarching goals for holding this international summit are to elevate the dialogue on breast cancer's global impact and to share strategies used to combat breast cancer in the delegates' local communities

"Each year, more than 1 million women worldwide receive a breast cancer diagnosis," said Nancy G. Brinker, founder of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. "The need to provide these women-regardless of race, nationality, or socioeconomic status-an equal opportunity to beat a breast cancer diagnosis has never been greater. This summit will enable advocates to share outreach tactics that have been implemented in the U.S. and elsewhere to meet our collective goal of saving lives and ending breast cancer forever."

WOW, what a book -- a perfect guide for those just embarking on a medical journey and a valuable resource for people like me -- already surviving a major illness -- who wish to better manage their health care for all of time.

Author Laura Nathanson, MD, wrote What You Don't Know Can Kill You: A Physician's Radical Guide to Conquering the Obstacles to Excellent Medical Care in honor of the husband she lost after a series of misdiagnoses and for everyone wishing to prevent such tragedy in their own lives.

Nathanson offers readers techniques for identifying signs of misdiagnosis and misleading analysis of symptoms. She shares tips for preventing medical miscommunication, keeping safe in the hospital, and choosing health care plans without falling into the uncovered services trap.

The allure of this book is the easy, non-medical approach Nathanson uses as she urges everyone facing the medical world to take charge of an often inpenetrable system. For the patient who is no stranger to this world, Nathanson's words will ring abundantly true.

"When I look back on that long period of delayed diagnosis and how we were then and later bounced around from one medical specialist to another, the image that pops into my head is that of a slightly mad, grotesque volleyball game -- with the patient as the ball," she writes.

For the patient new to medical confusion, Nathanson's words will impart volumes of truth.

"Here's what I've learned, and what you must learn if you wish yourself and your loved ones to survive a bout with serious illness," she reports. "No matter who you are, physician or not, lucky or not; no matter how rich, famous, successful, good-looking, innocent, kindly or powerful; no matter how close and trusting the relationship you have with those providing your medical care -- you cannot rely on today's medical system to keep you healthy, safe and alive."

Amen.

Although it was not revealed at the time, first lady Laura Bush was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in October, and underwent a surgical procedure to have the cancerous tumor removed from her shin shortly before the elections on November 7th. When the first lady's press secretary Susan Whitson was asked why the information about Mrs. Bush's cancer diagnosis was withheld from the public, she responded by saying, "This medical procedure was a private matter for Mrs. Bush, but when asked by the media today, we answered the question."

In 2001, President Bush had four suspicious facial lesions surgically removed that can lead to cancer if left untreated. At the time, they had not progressed into cancer.

Mrs. Bush is reported to be doing well, and is optimistic that the cancer was discovered early.

According to the MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, squamous cell skin cancer is a type of tumor that affects the middle layer of the skin. Over 90 percent of skin cancers occur on areas of the skin that are regularly exposed to sunlight or other ultraviolet radiation. Squamous cell cancer is a malignancy that is more aggressive than basal cell cancer, but still may be relatively slow-growing.

Laura Berry is a 53-year-old wife and mother of three wonderful sons -- two are firefighters and one is a junior at the Air Force Academy. She also has two wonderful dauthers-in-law, the world's most precious grandson, and a husband of 34 years who is her best friend. Laura is a breast cancer survivor -- who tells me her story is rather unremarkable. I think, like me, you will disagree.

When were you diagnosed with breast cancer?

I was diagnosed on the date of my 30th wedding anniversary on August 12, 2002, following a most wonderful second honeymoon/vacation. Although it was Stage 2 (it had traveled to my lymph nodes) fortunately I had "classic" menopausal breast cancer -- hormone positive, routinely treated with mastectomy, A&C and Taxotere, then tamoxifen, no radiation required. At the same time, my 34-year-old friend with a 4-year-old daughter was dealing with a more invasive form and I felt a certain amount of guilt about that.

Earlier this month I blogged about a book called Dear Cancer. The author, Laura Parisi King is a breast cancer survivor. I met Laura through the Young Survival Coalition and she agreed to do an interview with me about her breast cancer journey.

When were you diagnosed with breast cancer?

I was diagnosed with cancer on October 9, 2002. I was 41 years old. I had found a large mass in my right breast and was told by a doctor in Florida that it was just fibrocystic tissue and that it was nothing to worry about. After seven months of 'not worrying', my GYN in New York felt the mass and sent me to a surgeon. The surgeon said that the mass had to come out. He removed it and told me that it was cancer. After many tests I learned that the cancer had already spread. I have it in both lungs, both hips, my ribcage, sternum, spine and neck.

There's a bit of breast cancer news in just about every magazine out there -- news about treatments and protocols and studies, news about celebrity diagnoses, news about lives lost to breast cancer and lives conquering breast cancer, news that is scattered here and there and everywhere. But now, there is a magazine all about breast cancer -- and just about breast cancer. All sorts of breast cancer wisdom is conveniently packaged into one slick, glossy publication that debuted on newsstands yesterday, September 19.

Beyond: Live & Thrive After Breast Cancer is a semi-annual publication from Meredith Special Interest Media, part of the Meredith Corporation -- a leading media and marketing company and home to magazines such as Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies' Home Journal, Parents, and Fitness. Meredith's new breast cancer venture provides women living with the disease -- and those who may one day encounter it -- with support and with the latest information on treatment and recovery.

The Fall/Winter 2006 premiere issue of Beyond features a cover story about Dallas Mayor Laura Miller, a survivor forging ahead into a life beyond breast cancer. Also filling the pages are inspiring real-life profiles and stories, nutritional advice, up-do-date medical information, fashion tips, the Pink Pages -- a resource guide that details upcoming races and products that support breast cancer -- and much more.

Behind the scenes of this issue is an advisory board of leading experts in the breast cancer field. Experts include Susan Brown, the health manager at Susan G. Komen Foundation; Carolyn M. Kaelin, director of Comprehensive Breast Health Center and breast cancer survivor; and Lillie Shockney, Administrative Director at Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer.

If there is one theme common to women surviving breast cancer, it must be the desire to live beyond the control of this life-threatening and life-changing illness, to recapture an existence that resembles something normal, to embark on a journey outside the confines of cancer. Tips, techniques, strategies, and inspiration for accomplishing these feats are printed on the pages of this new magazine that is sure to reach its intended audience -- that today includes two million women who are living with breast cancer.

Dear Cancer is a book of inspiration and comfort that will make the reader laugh, cry and see adversity in a new light. The author shares her true story of living with Stage IV breast cancer from the shock of diagnoses to the rigors of chemotherapy and other treatments.

Written with honesty, sensitivity and humor, Dear Cancer will support and encourage anyone who is confronted by cancer, or any life-challenging illness. It touches every emotion from extreme sadness and rage, to joy and gratitude

The author, Laura Parisi King, who I met on the Young Survival Coalition website is a licensed master social worker. Laura was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in October of 2002.

An excerpt from her book...

Dear Cancer,

You have tried to break my spirit.

Yet because of you I am more spiritual than ever before.

You have tried to shake my faith.

Yet my faith is strong than ever.

You have tried to upset my relationships.

Yet they continue to flourish in spite of you.

You have tried to turn my life upside down.

ok, you got me on that one.

Despite tensions between the United States and the Middle East, Laura Bush announced Monday a plan to raise breast cancer awareness in the Middle East -- first with partnerships with the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and later with Morocco and Jordan. Joining forces also with the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and Johns Hopkins Medical Center, the First Lady outlined a plan that will allow governments, hospitals, researchers, and survivors to work globally to defeat breast cancer. Campaigns specific to each country will target research, training, and community-outreach programs. The reason for this partnership -- to raise awareness in countries where women are too embarrassed or too uninformed to seek treatment -- stems from compassion and human decency and a desire to form diplomatic friendships too. Laura Bush, whose own mother is a breast cancer survivor, shared that the tragedy of losing a loved one to breast cancer -- and the joy of watching a loved one survive this same disease -- is felt universally. Breast cancer affects all women in all countries. Borders make no difference in this matter. And helping save lives is the right thing to do.

On day three of the race now, friends Mike Dann, Simon Edmundson and Tim Tottenham, known as the ATP team, are into the 350 mile trek across the frozen Artic to the Magnetic North Pole as one of 15 teams taking part in the Sony Polar Challenge North Pole race. Temperatures can get to a frigid -50C. To add to the danger and drama, 80 percent of the world's Polar Bear population live there. Considered one of the world's toughest endurance tests, the teams are expected to reach the destination on April 27. Having just crossed Polar Bear Pass, ATP is one of five leading teams. If you are into extreme sports, and unique adventures, the Polar Challenge teams are keeping daily diaries online, as well as an overall summary of the day's events during the race. They provide an excellent photo gallery, live video and a map. The images are spectacular. The ATP team is raising funds for the Laura Crane Trust.

The Laura Crane Trust was founded in memory of Laura Crane, who died just two weeks after her seventeenth birthday from a complex mix of four types of cancer. The foundation serves teens and young adults living with cancer.