At the age of 93, former President Gerald R. Ford had become our longest living former president. As the nation mourns the passing of former President Ford, who died Tuesday at his home in Rancho Mirage, California, he is being remembered as a great healer of the nation in the aftermath of the Watergate scandal. At the time he pardoned former President Nixon, he was questioned and criticized for the wisdom of that action. In retrospect, his decision was credited for helping the nation move forward and heal.

Recovered alcoholic and breast cancer survivor Betty Ford is known for being a healer for the people of this nation in her own right. She willingly battled her most private demons and medical challenges openly, breaking the rules by speaking publicly about struggles society deemed private matters best kept quiet and spoken of only in whispers behind closed doors.

"It's hard for anyone born perhaps after 1980 or even in 1970 to understand that these things were not talked about," said Dr. Patricia Ganz, director of the division of cancer prevention and control research at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. "They were very stigmatizing. A woman didn't dare to mention to her friends, employer, extended family, that she had breast cancer."

Betty is credited with the successful launch of the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation by attending the first luncheon. Nancy G. Brinker, founder of the foundation, has said of Betty Ford, "If she had not come, we would never have been able to launch. I don't think young women today realize the importance of what she did -- she lit the candle in dark rooms all over the world in healthcare and substance abuse and human understanding."

History will record that both former President Gerald R. Ford and former First lady Betty Ford were profound healers, in courage, compassion and wisdom.

Try Not To Remember for the movie Home of the Brave, the process of songwriting and how cancer changes your priorities, were the main topics of discussion during a recent interview with Sheryl Crow. When asked what inspired her to write the song Try Not To Remember for Home of the Brave, Crow explained that it came in part from her own experience with breast cancer.

"I think the pivotal experience -- when you realize your life is never gonna be the same, and you are going to have to integrate back into your life I saw the movie and I think the thing that really struck me is that everybody gets dealt these pivotal moments in their lives, whether it is a war or breast cancer or losing your home in Katrina, or whatever. It is how you integrate. It determines what you do with the rest of your life."

Crow calls this year her year of transformation. Because of her breast cancer diagnosis, she feels she met herself in a way she had not done before, and as a result, she spent time redefining who she was and how she would live her life. She has learned to say no, rather than being a people pleaser. "I changed the way I look at my life, my body, my health, my family, my friends, and the way I treat myself." Crow learned to make herself a priority in her own life.

Visit Sheryl Crow On Overcoming Cancer, and The Soundtrack for Home of the Brave by Christina Radish to read much more about what Crow shared during the interview published in Media Blvd. Magazine.

From the moment of Sheryl Crow's breast cancer diagnosis, we have been sharing the introspection and insight of a creative and spiritual woman whose vulnerably honest perspectives as a cancer survivor continue to inspire. Here are some of the previous posts we have published:

• Sheryl Crow has breast cancer surgery
• Sheryl Crow: talks about how cancer changed her
• Sheryl Crow: ABC Good Morning America exclusive interview
• Sheryl Crow: We are fragile but we also are divine
• Sheryl Crow adopts Eskimo diet to fight breast cancer
• Sheryl Crow in the blue tattoo sisterhood
• Sheryl Crow: women need to be demanding of doctors
• Sheryl Crow: breast cancer survivor's spiritual reminder
• Sheryl Crow: "I wasn't known for my breasts until I got breast cancer."

Less than one year ago, Rep. John P. "Jack" Murtha, D-Pa., came crashing onto the national scene with his opinion that the U.S. military could accomplish nothing more in Iraq and should be pulled out of the war zone. It was a harsh opinion -- and one his Democratic partners thought might hurt their party at a time when they were trying to gain control of Congress. The fact that the Democrats had been seen as weak on national security didn't help. And then a funny thing happened.

Murtha, 74 -- a decorated Marine and the first combat veteran of the Vietnam War elected to the House of Representatives -- became one of the most popular Democrats around, despite or maybe because of his passionate beliefs. Once a behind-the-scenes kind of man, he is now in the public eye. He's out raising money for Democrats in many states. He's attending fundraising events with Al Gore and others. And he's gathering allies at every turn. And while he still faces opposition, he believes that he must make public what he stands for. And so he does. And because of his recent uncharacteristic charismatic presence, details about this once-to-himself man are emerging. Details like these: A local airport is named for him. An institute for the study of neuroscience and pain is named for him. And a breast cancer center bears the name of his wife, Joyce.

The Joyce Murtha Breast Care Center at Windber Medical Center opened its doors in February 2002. Located in Windber, Pennsylvania, this center began as a collaboration between Walter Reed Army Medical Center and Windber Medical Center and ever since its beginning has offered full diagnostic services for breast health and disease in one convenient location.

Murtha is surely raising awareness with his opinion about the military and national security and war. And even breast cancer gets a little press out of the whole frenzy surrounding this man and his efforts. Which reminds me that somehow, breast cancer seems to touch the lives of just about everyone is some way.

City Slickers actor Bruno Kirby died on Monday in Los Angeles from complications related to leukemia, his wife shared in a statement concerning his death. Kirby was 57 and had only recently been diagnosed with the disease.

A veteran character actor, Kirby was known for roles in The Godfather: Part II, Good Morning Vietnam, When Harry Met Sally, and City Slickers. Most recently, Kirby appeared on HBOs Entourage as fictitious producer Phil Rubenstein.

Kirby's wife shared in her statement, "We are incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from Bruno's fans and colleagues who have admired and respected his work over the past 30 years. Bruno's spirit will continue to live on not only in his rich body of film and television work but also through the lives of individuals he has touched throughout his life."

And even though he has passed, Kirby will continue to touch lives -- because all contributions in his honor will be go to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Los Angeles.