Photographs tell powerful stories. They depict people and objects and landscapes and emotions in deep, meaningful ways. They capture permanent visual representations of moments in life. They paint pictures that even the most well-crafted words could not reproduce.

When Mary Ann Nilan was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 at the age of 40, she knew her story must be told -- through pictures. So she asked a photographer to record it all, stating, "I hope the pictures make the road easier for other women." The rest is history.

She calls it a photo essay and titles it The Diary of Healing. For 17 frames -- with photographs dominating each space and text kept to a minimum -- Nilan shares her journey that began with the discovery of breast cancer in both breasts and several lymph nodes, the journey that took her through chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and reconstruction with implants.

Her photographs document significant stops on her physical and emotional trek. They show her bald head, the wig she wore only once and then let hang on a hook, the scars that crossed her flat chest after surgery, an injection of saline that painfully pierced the skin of her new breasts, her children measuring her hair as it grows in after chemotherapy. The photographs are both hopeful and chilling. They are breast cancer. They are more than words could ever capture.

Grey's Anatomy has teamed up with Warriors in Pink in a sweepstakes called Gear Up with Grey's Anatomy. The Warriors in Pink Prize Package winner will receive a 2007 Ford Fusion, a trip to the Grey's Anatomy set, and a Warrior in Pink apparel package including gear autographed by the cast of Grey's Anatomy. No purchase is necessary to win and the deadline to enter the sweepstakes is 11:59 PM (EST) on December 31, 2006. For more details, and to enter the sweepstakes, visit Warriors in Pink Gear Up with Grey's Anatomy Sweepstakes.

In addition, Warriors in Pink has launched a magnificent virtual quilt online. Breast cancer survivors and co-survivors are invited to contribute to the quilt with a personal message of encouragement, inspiration, love, support and celebration by designing a symbolic patch that will then be added to the Virtual Quilt online. According to the keepers of the Warriors in Pink Virtual Quilt, "There is strength in numbers, and decorated with the Warriors in Pink symbols, each patch is a personal message for friends and loved ones. Experience the vastness and behold the Warriors in Pink beautiful and valiant fight against breast cancer."

The Virtual Quilt is also available as a screensaver. To date, there are 2740 patches. To visit, the Virtual Quilt requires Flash Player 8 or higher.

To help promote Ford and Ford dealers Warriors in Pink campaign to fight breast cancer, the television cast of Grey's Anatomy Seattle Grace Hospital Derek Shepherd, Preston Burke, George O'Malley, Alex Karev, Richard Webber, Callie Torres, Cristina Yang, Miranda Bailey and Addison Shepherd have agreed to raise awareness by appearing in celebrity ads wearing Warrior In Pink clothing.

"We recognize the strength and courage it takes to deal with the everyday challenges of fighting breast cancer. We wholeheartedly support breast cancer awareness and eradication and are proud to be affiliated with Ford's Warriors in Pink program," said Shonda Rhimes, executive producer of Grey's Anatomy. "We're committed to the Warrior fighting spirit and urge everyone to play a role in the battle against breast cancer."

With drums banging and faces painted, Warriors in Pink take part in Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure events each year. In the last 12 years, Ford and Ford dealers have supported the Komen Foundation with contributions of more than $87 million dollars in donations. For more information on the Warriors in Pink, becoming a warrior, supporting warriors through clothing and gear purchases, and what the symbols they use represent, visit our past post Warriors in Pink: believers survivors fighters.

FREEEEEDOM! is the cry made famous with Mel Gibson's portrayal of William Wallace in the movie Braveheart. The movie stayed true to the reenactment of the Scottish warriors painting faces and chests a bright blue before battle to visually intimidate the enemy. The plant used to create the blue dye is called Woad.

While the ancient Scottish warrior Wallace met with a gruesome fate at the hands of the enemy, women in the modern world diagnosed with breast cancer might gain advantage in the war against cancer with the same plant used as an ancient blue dye in battle.

Italian researchers from the University of Bologna have discovered that the Woad plant, belonging to the same Brassicaceae plant family as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli, contains 20 times more glucobrassicin than broccoli. They also discovered that by wounding the Woad plant, they were able to increase the concentration of glucobrassicin seven times the normal level found in Woad. Glucobrassicin is known for its breast cancer-fighting abilities, and researchers are hopeful that isolating this compound will enable them to conduct clinical trials to better understand and clarify its effectiveness against cancer.

According to the Wikipedia entry on Woad, the first archaeological find of woad seeds were found in the French cave of l'Audoste, Bouches du Rhone. It is reported that Julius Caesar spoke of ancient Britons going into battle naked and using blue dye derived from Woad in face and body painting to terrify their opponents during battle. In addition, the blue dye from Woad was used as a tattooing ink and medicinally as an astringent.

Ford is calling all warriors to bang your drum -- paint your face -- run -- walk -- and fight for the breast cancer cure. Ford and Ford dealers are recruiting Warriors to ramp up the fight against breast cancer. As the Ford for Warriors in Pink page states, "Ford Warriors in Pink can be found at the Komen Race for the Cure events as always, only now they will arrive as a united front, as one in Warrior gear."

The Warrior gear are symbols and each one carries a meaning. War Paint is worn by Warriors ready to enter battle; The Warriors represent the power and the courageous who fight against breast cancer; Wings honor the angels who have passed after their fight against breast cancer; Crowned Warriors remind us that breast cancer touches the lives of both genders; Feathers represent kinship and are traditionally used in battle; Hearts represent the love in the lives of breast cancer fighters, their family and friends; Chevron is a French word meaning rafter and signifies protection and Plants represent life, growth and survival.

Recently, someone remarked to me that they could not write about cancer every day. During the 30 second I Run video spot featured on the Warriors in Pink web page, there is a little girl who holds up a handwritten sign that says, My Mommy's going to make it. That is why I can write about cancer every day. As a breast cancer survivor, I believe, and I survive and I fight for all the mommies -- so one day little girls won't have to lose their mommies. That is how I can do it. Every day -- for as long as I survive. If you want to join a positive and powerful campaign in the fight against breast cancer, check out  In Every Woman there is a Warrior in Pink.