My hair is not so short, not so dark, not so curly anymore. And the shock of what sprouted from my head following chemotherapy is not so startling anymore. I guess it's a combination of my getting accustomed to my new look and the fact that lately, my hair is a changin' -- once again -- and this has me somewhat numbed to all things hair-raising in my life.

I was born with straight, blond hair. And I wore these locks on my head for 34 years. Until cancer came a knockin', chemotherapy came a drippin', and my hair went a tumblin'. Bald brought quite an adjustment. And so did the stuff that replaced my pre-chemo hair.

For almost two years now, I have been peering in the mirror at short, brown, curly hair. It took some time, but I grew to like my new look. And now, just as I am feeling OK about my changed appearance, my hair is taking another turn.

Naturally, my hair is longer. That's what happens when chemotherapy becomes a thing of the past. So this is not so surprising. But as my hair grows and gets heavier, my curls are transforming into waves. And I wonder if my curls will continue to disappear as my hair continues to grow. Will my hair be straight again one of these days?

With each passing day, my hair also gets lighter as it slowly fades from dark brown to light brown with a tint of red and a hint of blond. Will my hair be blond again one of the days?

Someone once told me that cancer is temporary. Someone else told me this is not true -- there's nothing temporary about the way cancer changes a life forever. I think I agree. Because as I study my hair, I realize that all of its temporary phases are really just a sign of the permanence cancer has left branded on my body and soul.

Living Beyond Breast Cancer (LBBC) -- a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering all women affected by breast cancer to live as long as possible with the best quality of life -- recently began offering a new resource for breast cancer survivors, for both the newly diagnosed and those with metastatic disease.

"The first few weeks after diagnosis can be extremely difficult emotionally, and women with advanced disease often do not get the support and resources they need," said Jean Sachs, LBBC executive director. "We want to give them an understanding of their choices to help them make informed decisions regarding their physical and emotional health."

This understanding comes in the form of a 28-page brochure -- What to expect . . . today, tomorrow and beyond: Steps for coping with the medical, emotional and practical concerns of breast cancer -- available free on the Internet or by request. This guide, a road map, addresses topics such as coping with the news of a new diagnosis, telling family and friends, understanding pathology reports, choosing a medical team, asking for help, and finding support.

LBBC offers multiple addidtional resources -- including specialized navigation tools on its website that lead to a wealth of information. Visitors can Learn More about LBBC. They can Stay Informed through news, message boards, and other resources. They can Participate in events and programs. And they can Support LBBC through volunteer efforts and financial donations.

LBBC was founded in 1991 by a radiation oncologist who focused exclusively on meeting the needs of women post-treatment. She ran the organization out of the third floor of her home using volunteers. Few resources existed for women affected by breast cancer at the time, and so she tried to fill the void. In 1986, an executive director came on board, increased the LBBC budget from $100,000 to $1.8 million per year, expanded all programs and services, and worked to secure LBBC as a solid, dependable resource for all women, of all stages of breast cancer and in all phases of treatment and recovery. And now, in 2006, that is exactly what it is.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer it is important to understand what a clinical trial is and also where you can find out information on how to get into one. Clinical trials must be done before a new treatment is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

There are different types or phases of clinical trials. Each phase is designed to find out different information. Each new phase of a clinical trial depends on and builds on information from an earlier phase.

• Phase I clinical trials are to find out the best way to give a new treatment and how much of it can be given safely. Researchers will closely monitor the patient's side effects and adjust the dosage as needed. This phase is usually only tested on a small amount of participants. Phase I trials can have significant risks associated with them for the patient because the drug or new treatment regimen has been studied in the lab but not on humans. The research in the lab cannot identify all the side effects that might occur. Phase I trials are usually only offered to those who's cancer cannot be helped by other known treatments available.
• Phase II clinical trials attempt to determine a patient's response to treatments. Patients are closely monitored to see if the new treatment controls the cancer or shrinks it. Side effects are also assessed at this phase because the trial involves more people so they can see a larger group and how they react to the new treatment.
• Phase III clinical trials look for longer life, better quality of life, fewer side effects and fewer cases of the cancer returning. These trials enroll a large number of patients (sometimes thousands). The patients are usually divided into two groups. One group will receive the standard therapy available for their type of cancer and the other group will get the new treatment. Patients are usually assigned by chance for the two separate groups being studied.

Cancer patients do not have to just count on trial information from their physicians. The patient can directly investigate their own eligibility for a clinical trial by calling the Cancer Information Service at 1-800-4-CANCER. Another valuable resource for patients to find out about clinical trials is the website www.clinicaltrial.gov.