There's so much more to life than money. At the same time, the daily grind definitely depends some on this coveted staple. For one man, whose life did depend on money, it could have been everything. But it wasn't.

Think about this:

Wayne Schenk won $1 million in the New York lottery on January 12 after purchasing a $5 scratch-off ticket. His jackpot win came just five weeks after his diagnosis of inoperable lung cancer was delivered. His one wish: to receive a lump sum so he could receive specialized treatment for his advanced disease.

Lottery officials claim they were sympathetic but just couldn't give him a lump sum. The best they could do was issue him $50,000 annual installments for 20 years.

Schenk, 51, only survived for a little more than one year. He died on April 23 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Syracuse. At the time of his death, he had received just $34,000.

So money isn't everything. But could it have been?

Wyeth officials say their hormone replacement therapy Prempro is not the cause of one Ohio woman's breast cancer. But two jury decisions prove otherwise.

The first jury, in October, awarded Jennie Nelson and her husband $1.5 million in compensatory damages, validating Nelson's claim that her breast cancer -- resulting in a double mastectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation -- was caused by the Prempro she took for six years. When this verdict was thrown out due to a mistrial, a retrial began.

The retrial concluded yesterday -- with a Philadelphia jury awarding the Nelsons this time with $3 million.

"Both times this case has been heard on terms established by Wyeth and still the juries have clearly found that Prempro causes breast cancer," says Nelson's attorney Tobias Millrood, adding that Wyeth puts sales ahead of patient safety.

Wyeth respectfully disagrees and argues that it acted responsibly in the promotion of its hormone replacement products and in disclosing with doctors and patients all therapy-associated health risks.

Millions of women have used Wyeth's hormone replacement therapies to control the effects of menopause, and the company, sanctioned in January to pay $1 million to an Arkansas breast cancer survivor, now faces more than 5,000 lawsuits of this same nature.

Despite a large-scale study revealing drugs like Prempro increase the risk of breast cancer if used for five years or more, the drug still remains on the market. And Wyeth is so sure their drug is not at fault for causing Nelson's breast cancer that they plan to appeal yesterday's verdict.

International pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca is donating $10 million to the American Cancer Society (ACS). The donation is one of the largest gifts ever received by the ACS and will help provide support for patients in United States hospitals.

Support will come in the form of specially-trained ACS employees who will work in 60 different hospitals and cancer centers and will offer social, emotional, financial, and transportation assistance in medically underserved Atlanta areas.

London-based AstraZeneca, maker of breast cancer drug tamoxifen and other breast and prostate cancer drugs, made $26 billion in sales last year, the same year the company gave $7 million to a Boston Cancer Society for the development of a Hope Lodge.

Environmental groups claim some children's bath products contain a suspected cancer-causing chemical in amounts that reach or exceed safe limits. The chemical in question -- 1,4-dioxane -- is found in products made by companies such as Johnson and Johnson, Disney, Kimberly-Clark, and Gerber, says David Steinman, head of the environmental publishing company Freedom Press.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calls this chemical, already known to cause cancer in animals, a probable human carcinogen. But there is no real regulation on the petroleum-derived chemical and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only recommends cosmetic companies limit the concentration of 1,4-dioxane to 10 parts per million (ppm).

Studies show Johnson's Kids Shampoo Watermelon Explosion contains the maximum recommended level of 10 ppm. They also reveal that Kid Care's Hello Kitty Bubble Bath contains 12.3 ppm of the chemical. And two adult shampoos have been found to have twice the recommended level of this chemical that is typically a manufacturing by-product.

It's been reported that nearly 57 percent of all baby soaps contain 1,4-dioxane. But Iris Grossman, director of communications at Johnson and Johnson, stresses that all of her products are within FDA limits.

Cancer is not the only risky link to children's bath products. It seems these items are also linked to early puberty development. And this is concerning because a fast-paced growth rate combined with children's porous skin increases susceptibility to toxins that can enter the bloodstream. One breast cancer expert says an increase in breast cancer risk is linked to toxic exposures during the formative years of life.

Cancer patients receiving treatment at the Arizona Cancer Center in Tucson will walk through the doors of a new building -- the Fasseas Cancer Center-- beginning tomorrow morning.

The new center, named after major donors Peter and Paula Fasseas, is built on the skeleton of a defunct Tucson hospital. It took 16 months to build and cost an estimated $30 million. And now the comprehensive cancer center is ready for use.

More than 800 cancer patients have appointments during the first week, and 110 medical staff will relocate to the new clinic that has been called the crown jewel of new University Medical Center North Campus and one of the most modern cancer treatment centers in the United States.

The new two-story clinic -- to be joined later by facilities for radiation oncology, ambulatory surgery, imaging services, and a Ronald McDonald House for pediatric patients and their families -- will feature patient support groups, counseling, therapeutic massage, a healing garden, a resource center, and a salon to help patients cope with hair loss and other side effects of cancer treatment.

A formal grand opening for the new clinic is planned for February 18.

How many of us value the worth of a penny?

Twenty years ago, Peter and Bette Pickstock, from a village in Sturdivant near Cheltenham, England, thought pennies might one day add up to make a difference and thus began the collection of pennies.

Two decades later, and 32 million pennies total (nearly $700,000 dollars), the couple recently donated the money to the Cobalt Appeal Fund in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, a cancer care center.

The Queen of England was impressed, as Peter and Bette Pickstock were invited to Buckingham Palace to meet Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip. Although the couple could not have known this twenty years ago when they decided to do something good for others in the simple act of collecting pennies, two years ago Mrs. Pickstock was diagnosed with breast cancer and learned firsthand how much a cancer care center can help cancer patients. They said they plan to continue collecting pennies.

The Jimmy Fund upped it's total by $2.8 million this Saturday -- thanks to celebrities Donald Trump, Ben Affleck, Billy Ray Cyrus, Jon Cryer, and others who helped raise funds for this cancer-fighting charity through a Boston radio-telethon. Established in 1948 to support cancer research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Jimmy Fund has been the primary charity for the Boston Red Sox since 1953 and has been the beneficiary of this same radio-telethon for five years now. Since 2002, the telethon has raised more than $5 million to support research and care for both children and adults. This year's goal was to raise $2.6 million. With generous donations, the goal was reached -- and exceeded.

Trump -- who threw out the first pitch at the Red Sox-Yankees doubleheader on Saturday -- donated $60,000 to the charity. His donation jumped this year's total ahead of last year's $2.3 million. Red Sox owner John Henry donated $30,000, and Yankees owner George Steinbrenner gave $10,000. Massachusetts Senators Edward Kennedy and John Kerry also sent in donations during the 18-hour fundraiser that aims to strike out cancer.

Beginning in October, Mercedes-Benz will sell 1,000 of its special-edition E350 to benefit women's cancer research. The company will donate $1 million dollars through the sales of the special-edition E350 to support Saks Fifth Avenue's Key to the Cure. This is the fourth year Mercedes-Benz has released a special-edition vehicle to benefit cancer research for women.

"We've produced this special-edition of our most popular model to help combat one of the biggest threats to women's health in this country and help bring women's cancer treatment options and prevention one step closer," said Carol Goll, General Manager, Brand Experience Marketing, Mercedes-Benz USA. "Mercedes partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue and the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) offers us a unique opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to a cause that affects us all."

Funds raised for Key to the Cure will benefit programs including EIF's Women's Cancer Research Fund, the Cleveland Clinic, Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center and the Nevada Cancer Institute.

The bikini turns 60 this month and makes news not just for its birthday but also for its new feature -- a built-in alarm to warn wearers to get out of the sun. Not all bikinis will talk -- but those made by Canadian company Solestrom will. Solestrom has created a new bikini that goes on sale next month with a UV meter built into its belt and an alarm that sounds when it's time to seek shade. The meter on the $190 bikini displays a level of UV intensity on a scale from 0 to 20. Three to five is moderate strength, eight to 10 is very high, and anything above 11 is extreme. A person's sensitivity to UV depends mainly on skin type so this scale operates in general terms.

Despite increasing awareness of the sun's dangers, sales remain strong for the bikini. So Solestrom developed this suit to ease some of the worries about the sun's damaging rays. They have already been met with high demand from Australia and South Africa -- where skin cancer rates are highest. The United States -- now in the loop too -- has about 1 million new skin cancer cases each year.

Internationally-known celebrity tattoo artist Mario Barth of Starlight Tattoo has announced a $1 million dollar challenge to local businesses and people in the northern New Jersey community to help raise money to benefit the CureSearch National Childhood Cancer Foundation for childhood cancers.

The Starlight Tattoo website has published statistics that in the last 20 years, the incidence of childhood cancer has grown nearly 27 percent, and scientists and researchers have been unable to account for the increase, or even why cancer in children occur. Barth, who is a father, says "Children are our future. We need to take care of them and nurture them, and show every child of every means that people really do care. Childhood should be a time of learning and fun, not pain and struggle. Every little bit helps."

Barth is a tattoo artist to celebrities including Lenny Kravitz, Jason Kid, members of the Wu Tang Clan, Nikki Six of Motley Crue, members of My Chemical Romance, members of Il Nino, radio host Wendy Williams, comedian Rich Voss and NFL Giants players Jermaine Taylor, Kendrick Allen and David Diehl.

The winner of over 200 international awards for innovative trends, Barth is a consultant and practitioner for Hackensack Cosmetic Surgeons for reconstructive micro pigmentation on cancer patients. He invented and created a series of special inks for use in reconstructive surgery to help patients adjust with a more natural dermal appearance after major operations. To learn more about Barth and Starlight Tattoo, and how to donate to a worthy cause in fighting childhood cancers, visit the Starlight Tattoo website.

Safeway, a major-chain grocery store, announced that it has raised a whopping $5.1 million dollars during its Prostate Cancer Awareness Month fundraiser in June. In just six years, Safeway has raised more than $17.8 million dollars to benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation for prostate cancer awareness and research.

In addition to the traditional solicited customer donations at checkstands they do each year, Safeway also attributes its fundraising success this year to Safeway employees who held parking lot barbecues, carnivals, book sales, and raffles.

As I said in an earlier post about Safeway's fundraising abilities, they are one of the most effective organizations to raise donations for cancer charity. Because it is seldom possible to get out of a grocery store without spending several hundred dollars, adding one more dollar for a worthy cause is easy to agree to do.

Someone raced for the cure -- in celebration of me. I am honored and flattered and so thrilled to have received in the mail today a t-shirt and the crumpled piece of pink paper than hung from my aunt's back -- with my name on it -- as she ran this 5K race in Aspen, Colorado on July 15. It was the 16th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure in Aspen, and my aunt has run for me for two years now. I have a t-shirt and pink piece of paper from last year too. Maybe one day I will run it for myself. First, I have to master the whole running thing.

The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation Race for the Cure began in 1983 with 800 participants. Today the Komen Race for the Cure is the largest 5K event in the world. And in 2005, more than one million people participated in more than 100 races designed not only to raise funds but to also educate the public about early detection -- about how it is the most effective method of surviving this life-threatening disease. The five-year survival rate is 95 percent when the disease is discovered while still confined to the breast. I'm proud to have found my own lump early, before it had spread outside my breast. And I am proud to have been a part of a race -- even in name only -- that might make this early discovery possible for many more women to come.

There has been a great increase during the past 10 years in the number of women receiving mammograms in Florida. But shockingly, almost one million Florida women over the age of 40 have still not ever received mammograms. So the American Cancer Society has teamed with the Medical Quality Assurance Inc. -- and they have co-published a guide to help these women locate a mammography center that meets their needs. This guide is sorted by city and is available on the American Cancer Society website for quick and easy access.

I can only imagine how the numbers stack up in consideration of all states -- and not just Florida. I can only imagine why these one million women in my state alone have not reported for this critical test --perhaps reasons stem from lack of awareness, lack of access, lack of financial resources, lack of concern. I can only imagine that not everyone -- due to life circumstances -- can be a recipient of this potentially life-saving test. Like I was -- at the age of 34 with a small but aggressive cancerous tumor living in my left breast. My referral for a mammogram saved my life. And I can only imagine how many more women might be saved from the horror of breast cancer because a mammogram assisted in early detection. I can only imagine that the day will somehow arrive when all women -- of all ages -- are afforded the opportunity for this test. And that those who have the opportunity -- and the means -- decide to delay no further.

I have a Vera Bradley purse -- a backpack, actually -- that is black with pink ribbons and little multi-colored flowers sprinkled all over the fabric. The print is called New Hope and a portion of the proceeds from the purchase of this bag go toward breast cancer research. Now there is a second print available that also carries hope for a cure. Hope Toile is the name of this bright, cheery, perfect-for-summer, pink bag -- and like the purse I have, part of the sales will benefit the Vera Bradley Foundation for Breast Cancer. Since 1994, Vera Bradley has raised more than four million dollars for breast cancer research and this pattern -- which also shows up on accessories such as umbrellas, wallets, belts, eyeglass cases, and watches -- symbolizes renewed hope for a cure. And while I don't have this purse yet, it is on my wish list for a time when I need something new and fresh and hopeful.

In 1994, the first Million Paws Walk was held to benefit the RSPCA of Queensland, Australia. Dr Cam Day, veterinarian, felt a special event involving animals of all types walking together would provide a fun day for pets and their owners and raise much needed funds for the RSPCA. In the first event, five hundred people took their dogs and cats for a stroll around suburban streets, raising almost $10,000 dollars for RSPCA's disadvantaged animals. Participation in the fundraising event has grown each year, with the most interesting entrant to the Million Paws Walk being a sheep raised in suburbia who thought it was a dog.

RSPCA Australia, who works so that animals are treated with the compassion and consideration they deserve, is a non-profit, non-government charity, dedicated to animal welfare and responsible for implementing state animal protection laws. The RSPCA holds the belief that an animal's welfare should be considered in terms of five freedoms: freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury or disease; freedom to express normal behavior; and freedom from fear and distress.

This year, one of the dogs who will be walking in the Milllion Paws Walk is 12-year-old Welsh Springer spaniel, Dylan, who is battling cancer. Bringing him to the walk will be his owner, Denise Mullins. If Dylan and Denise can show up to benefit disadvantaged pets, then the healthy younger dogs have no excuse, now do they. The challenge is on!
The Western Australia Million Paws Walk event takes place on Sunday, April 30 and then one more Million Paws Walk will take place on May 21, 2006. Visit the RSPCA website for locations and details.