I told my six-year-old son today that on Friday, we will attend a University of Florida gymnastics meet. Not such a big deal in and of itself but the fact that the entire meet is dedicated to the battle against breast cancer is what makes my announcement to Joey so important. You see, Joey has been my faithful companion ever since I was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago. He has been my link to all things simple. He has been my rock, my inspiration, my motivation to fight for my life.

I told Joey this sports event is a celebration of people with breast cancer, like me. And I told him everyone must wear pink, a color he knows well when it's twisted in ribbon formation. I eagerly awaited Joey's reaction to the whole pink thing, not because he has an aversion to pink but because his absolute favorite color is orange and he tends to choose this fabric selection whenever possible. But without hesitation, Joey was completely accepting of making a pink fashion statement.

I told Joey we would make shirts so we could be as pink as possible on Friday. So we bought white t-shirts and two shades of pink dye, and we will soon tie-dye our shirts for the festive occasion where both University of Florida and University of Kentucky gymnasts will wear pink leotards -- in different shades -- and where the fans will make donations to the local American Cancer Society.

Joey asked me while we shopped for our t-shirt supplies if lots of people have cancer.

"Yes," I told him, recalling a fact I had just learned -- 8.9 million Americans alive today have a history of cancer. "Lots of people have cancer."

I am not sure what this means to Joey. But I suspect his comprehension of the disease is limited to pink ribbons, bald heads, and periodic celebrations. If only cancer were that simple.

Cancer is not simple. But Joey helps me face each day with simplicity. And I can't wait to simply make a few t-shirts with him and then pack the place pink in honor of all the women who every day face the complexities of a fierce opponent.

NOTE: This post was written prior to the announcement that Freddy Fender passed away on Saturday at the age of 69. A more detailed post concerning his death will follow.

Grammy award winning musician Freddy Fender, 69, was released Thursday from the hospital and is now resting at his home in South Texas. He is battling lung cancer and while he is at home now, sources say he is gravely ill as a result of treatment and a recent blood infection.

Fender has wanted to share a public statement but is just not up to it. His wife, Vangie Huerta, and his spokesperson, Ron Rogers, are speaking on his behalf. Both report the cancer that started in Fender's left lung has spread to his body. Fender has been ill for some time -- with both diabetes and hepatitis C. He also received a kidney from his daughter in 2002 and underwent a liver transplant in 2004.

Born Baldemar Huerta in 1937, Fender has won three Grammy awards, the most recent in 2002. His music career began in the late 1950s with the hits Before the Next Teardrop Falls, Wasted Days and Wasted Nights and You'll Lose a Good Thing.

The power of positivity is subjective when it comes to cancer survival. There are those who argue that keeping up a positive attitude puts too much pressure on cancer patients. I think it depends on who you are at the time of cancer diagnosis, and what your individual personality style is in facing adversity, that is far more relevant to being a survivor.

Last Wednesday, when the news broke that Farrah Fawcett had been diagnosed with cancer, she asked that her privacy be respected. As is the case with most celebrities, it was not likely to happen. We have seen almost constant coverage in the details of her cancer diagnosis and treatment, and the paparazzi have captured in photographs her every movement.

Pink Pony is the catch phrase for Ralph Lauren's initiative in the fight against breast cancer. Not only does Ralph Lauren support the fight by donating 10 percent of the proceeds from Pink Pony products to charity, but he has his own charity -- The Pink Pony Fund for Cancer Care and Prevention.

The Pink Pony Fund is a worldwide philanthropic effort. In the United States alone, Pink Pony recipients include Women's Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Breast Cancer Research Foundation in New York City, Prevención, Inc., and Nina Hyde Center, both in Washington, D.C.

One of the premiere services provided by the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention is the patient navigator -- a concept created by Dr. Harold Freeman, medical director of the Center. Navigators assist patients and family members with access to health-care services and help them move with ease through the medical system. Navigators help patients with communication barriers, financial concerns, insurance difficulties, emotional issues, and more.

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to the pink pony. It is not merely a fashion statement that happens to kick a few dollars toward breast cancer research. It is a statement of true compassion and concern and commitment. It is a symbol of one man's hard work over the past 15 years to make a difference in the lives of women everywhere.

Hours ago, I told you about Wal-Mart's announcement that it will no longer sell children's clothes found to be contaminated with a cancer-causing chemical. The nine brands of children's clothing were sold in stores in China. I then went on to tell you that the public relation spokesperson for Wal-Mart in China declined to state whether or not the same brands of children's clothing had found their way onto U.S. Wal-Mart store shelves. I pondered aloud in the prediction that the public would be hearing from Wal-Mart here in the U.S. regarding this matter -- sooner rather than later.