The beloved member of our family, Spotted Calamity Jane, the oldest of our two Dalmatians had to be put down on February 17. It was the hardest decision I personally ever had to make, knowing when it was time to put her out of too much pain. The tears continue to flow and I know will for a long time. She had survived breast cancer at the age of 4 and continued to live a happy life loving her runs on the beach. 2 1/2 years ago she was diagnosed with renal failure, something that is irreversible but we continued to give her a low protein diet and top notch vet care and monitoring that included some acupuncture. It came to a point where we knew the pain was outweighing the good quality of life and the end was not far away and it was time to end the suffering. For 13 years she brought us joy and laughter and unconditional love. She was the leader and companion to our other 8 year old Dalmatian Kiva, who is deaf and followed Cally everywhere watching everything that she did. Watching the two of them running and playing on the beach in the water and sand are memories I will always carry. So we decided to have Cally cremated so we could spread her ashes out on the beach that she loved so much.

Then we were faced with another heart break. Seventeen days later we were told that her ashes had been lost and it floored us. It sent me curled up in a bed crying for a whole day. Family members and friends were outraged as our hearts once again tried to overcome the loss. We were told to get an attorney and sue for compensation. In quietness I walked through the trails in the woods near our house and thought what good could come from all of this. The vet of course refunded our money and offered to buy a memorial stone or something for us. I told him we would think about things. Then I decided that her life and the joy that she brought us should go to something positive and that I did not want to go through the stress and negativity of a law suit and staring at a meaningless stone memorial would not make it any better. That wouldn't change anything. So I suggested to the vet and the cremation services company, to donate money to my favorite charity, Indie Music For Life, that works with independent singer songwriters and comedians to raise money for cancer research and educational awareness programs on the benefits of music and laughter as therapy to cancer patients. This turned the tragedy into a positive. We have the great memories of her life with us and the knowledge that even in her death she has brought more good to the world. Cally is the beautiful dark colored Dalmatian on the left in this picture. Her spots continued to grow and grow which made her look like a black Dalmatian with white spots. We called her "our little negative" for those of you in the photography field that understand reverse imaging. She was a rare jewel and always a positive in our lives.

In a feature published in the Sydney Morning Herald, Julietta Jameson asks the same question many of us have asked -- Is the compassionate celebrity the new public pest? If you are talking about Paris Hilton's insatiable self-promotion in grabbing one more photo-op by making a shallow meaningless promise to a charity for kids with cancer, the answer is a resounding yes. If you are talking about U2's Bono, who regularly meets with world leaders and often knows far more about the subject under discussion than the politicians do, then the answer is an emphatic no.

Then there are all the celebrities who fall between the extremes of Hilton and Bono, who lend their name and some of their time, for noble reasons and then too for the less-admirable ambition of keeping themselves in the news, to causes that need attention for the fundraising needed to keep the charity or cause going.

Olivia Newton-John, breast cancer survivor, and strong advocate for raising breast cancer awareness, recently released a CD dedicated to anyone who has been touched by cancer.

The CD features performances by some of her closest friends including Delta Goodrem, Patti Labelle, Diahann Carroll and Amy Sky. One of the ten songs on the CD includes Can I Trust Your Arms, written by Olivia's daughter Chloe, as a special Christmas gift for her mother.

Olivia Newton-John shares her feelings about the CD by saying, "I believe the songs I have chosen reflect the many emotions of such a journey. By way of this CD I am grateful to be able to pass on that torch with these songs of inspiration, encouragement and understanding to all of those facing breast cancer or any other challenging journey." Part of the proceeds from Stronger than Before are going to help build a comprehensive cancer center to treat all cancers at the Austin Hospital in Melborne, Australia.

Indie Music For Life, a non-profit organization working to raise money for cancer research and music therapy programs, released its 2006 compilation CD that includes 18 artists that sells for $10 dollars. Indie Music For Life has the slogan Fighting Cancer One Song At A Time and they reach their goals by producing compilation CDs working with independent singer songwriters that donate songs for the cause. They also organize benefit concerts with the help of Indie artists from around the US.  Some of the artists also sell the compilations at their own personal shows to increase visibility of the organization and the work it is trying to do.

Indie Music For Life is organizing a new project for children cancer patients in the hopes of getting many CDs in the hands of children going through cancer for free in an effort to add music as part of their therapy. Submissions for children's songs are being taken and reviewed and informational packets on music as therapy are being put together. Indie Music For Life is taking tax deductible donations for this project as well as others on their website.

You can purchase compilation CDs from 2004, 2005, and 2006 as well as other items to help raise money for cancer research by visiting their website at http://www.indiemusicforlife.org.  "What better way to do your part in fighting this disease is there, than to listen to music and help raise money for cancer research and other programs like the children's music therapy program" said Cori Lynn, Vice President of Indie Music For Life,  who is organizing and setting up volunteers for the children's music therapy program.

Steps For Living and Art of Survivorship Matthew Zachary and Adam Dachman will be guests on Dr. Bernie Siegel's radio program, Mind Health Medicine, hosted by Positive Radio Network, on May 2 at 9am PST. Zachary, a long-term brain cancer survivor, and founder of Steps For Living and Art of Survivorship, and Dr. Adam Dachman, surgeon, accomplished pianist, composer and singer/songwriter both work to raise awareness for the special issues facing cancer survivors and bring resources to the cancer survivorship community with art and music. Art of Survivorship supports and features artists and musicians who are cancer survivors. If you are unable to listen to the show when it airs, you will be able to  find it listed in the Mind Health Medicine radio program archives.