Tampa's H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, the only comprehensive cancer center in Florida, has just partnered with Merck & Co., one of the world's largest drug companies, to develop personalized cancer treatments using a patient's genetic profile.

The two powerhouse entities will form a for-profit company called M2Gen on donated land near the University of South Florida. And in the span of just a few years, researchers plan to compile a database of tumor tissue and other medical information to determine why some patients respond to treatment while others do not. The database could house information on more than 30,000 patients within five years and will enable researchers to identify biological markers that could help doctors choose the most effective treatment based on the genetic make-up of each patient's tumor.

Blind treatment -- where everyone receives the same thing -- will be a thing of the past as tailor-made therapies replace the one-size-fits-all approach.

Florida Governor Jeb Bush says of the partnership that will create more than 170 high-paying jobs, "Man, I don't know if you can think of a better Christmas present than that."

Fashion designer Betsey Johnson is the definition of original. As colorful and spirited as her fashion designs and clothing stores, at 63, she embraces life with equal creative enthusiasm. A journalist is quoted as once saying, "If Betsey Johnson didn't exist, we would have to invent her. She's the original wild child set to paint the town pink!"

In 1999, Betsey was diagnosed with breast cancer. After surgery and 33 radiation treatments, she became a breast cancer advocate involved in fundraising events and creating one-of-a-kind items that have been auctioned off to raise money for breast cancer charity. She has been an Honorary Chairperson for the Fashion Targets Breast Cancer initiative and was honored with an award by the National Breast Cancer Coalition for her contributions and work as a breast cancer advocate.

Two years ago, she designed a special tee for the book written by Geralyn Lucas, Why I Wore Lipstick to my Mastectomy. Both the book and tee were part of the Courage Night campaign launched through the chain of Betsey Johnson stores.

To find out what's new and what Betsey is up to next, visit the Betsey Johnson website.

According to data available on cancer patients and caregivers, of all the patients diagnosed with cancer, at least 50 percent will be cared for by a family member. Cancer Caregivers Strength for Caring points to a survey from the Journal of Family Nursing that provides insight into the life and unmet needs of a cancer caregiver.

Some of the information from the study reveals that 82 percent of cancer caregivers are women; 71 percent are married; 54 percent live with the patient; 47 percent are more than 50 years old and 36 percent reported care giving took more than 40 hours of time per week.

Cancer caregivers make certain the person they are caring for has everything they need and often take care of the cancer patient's normal daily tasks, errands and chores that the loved one with cancer might not be able to do for themselves while undergoing cancer surgery and treatments. What the study found was cancer caregivers do not take time to take care of themselves and the toll it takes on the caregiver can be negative and profound.

Just before my treatment for breast cancer began and during a consultation about what chemotherapy drugs I was about to receive, my oncologist stepped away from my exam room to check on something. When she returned to the room, she told me that she was determining whether or not I qualified for a clinical trial. I had no idea what this meant at the time. All I knew was what she told me -- that my prognosis was too good at that moment to qualify for anything currently under study. I did not fit a profile for anything. I was not a candidate for a clinical trial.

I now know that clinical trials are a critical component of research -- they validate a drug's success or weakness and they provide hope for many who may be at the end of their treatment rope and need something new to consider. A clinical trial is a comparison of standard treatments to newer treatments in an effort to discover better methods for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer. Doctors, scientists, and other health professionals conduct these tests according to strict guidelines set by the Food and Drug Administration -- which establishes mandatory guidelines to ensure the maximum safety of the patient.

Clinical trials rely on volunteers -- and sadly, there is a current shortage of patients willing to participate in trials. Experts say that, for the past few decades, just five to 10 percent of all cancer patients in the United States have joined a clinical trial. There is an urgent need -- because the demand for willing, eligible participants far exceeds the supply. Some experts are even recommending that the small pool of candidates that does exist be rationed to only the most important cancer studies -- leaving other studies with no hope for completion. There is no good solution in sight. But the reasons for the shortage are becoming apparent. It's not that patients are unwilling to join. It's that they are unaware, uninformed, not even sure this opportunity is possible -- because doctors are not suggesting trials to their patients. Treatment on a protocol is more demanding for doctors than routine medical care. And it costs doctors to submit to a trial. And trials burden doctors with regulations and paperwork. And some doctors worry about litigation if something experimental goes wrong. So they often don't approach the topic -- and the result is that a wonder drug may sit in a dark freezer because there are not enough people to test it. This potential wonder drug may never show promise, may never save a life, may never see the light of day.

So I guess my oncologist was ahead of the game in this matter -- she compared my diagnosis and prognosis with the needs of all available clinical trials and found that there was not match. Had she not done this, I would have never thought to ask about the possibility -- which is exactly what patients should do instead of waiting for a doctor to make the suggestion. Because it may never happen.

For more information on clinical trials, please visit the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups.