Army of Women

Each year 200,000 women are diagnosed with Breast Cancer. When I was 8, my mom was diagnosed. After years of chemotherapy, radiation, and a double masectomy, it was an experimental drug not yet on the market that saved her life. Obviously, I am a supporter of Breast Cancer research. I didn't think there was much I could do besides monetary donations. Finally, there is.


Yesterday. Dr. Susan Love and Avon launched the 1 Million Women campaign. They are looking for healthy women, high-risk women, and breast cancer survivors to join their campaign and take part in research that will compare the three groups and hopefully pinpoint exactly how and why breast cancer occurs. A quote from ABC News: "Rather than using research that focuses on killing cancer cells, this initiative will encourage research on what causes breast cancer, pairing a goal of 1 million women with scientists to "end breast cancer in our lifetime."

All you have to do is go to www.armyofwomen.com and fill out the volunteer form with your name, birthdate, email address, and zipcode. It takes about 1 minute to sign up. When there is a research study, you will be sent an email. If you want to participate in that study, you reply to the email. Then someone will call you and "interview" you to see if you qualify. So simple, yet so important.

At the time the story aired on ABC news tonight, 30,000 women had signed up. When I visited the site 5 minutes later, the number had gone up to almost 69,000. I think we can get a million women, and it starts with me. Please sign up, because if Breast Cancer comes to me, I want to be a survivor too. Just like my mom.