A real day brightener for any cancer patient is receiving mail: a note, a card, an article, an email that lets them know you are thinking about them. Write a "Thank You" note to your friend or family member who has cancer that tells them how much you appreciate their friendship. Thank them for the different things they have done to bring joy and laughter into your life. Remind them of some little gesture they made that made your day. Then put your note in a beautiful Valentine's Day card. The patient will savor the memories and will most certainly feel loved and thought of for the rest of the day.

To cancer patients:

Design a simple "Thank You" note of your own that you can return to friends and family members who do something special for you. Here's one written by a special friend of The Cancer Club:

For all your good wishes and candy,

The balloons and stuffed animals were dandy.

Contributions, beautiful flowers, gourmet meals

and games-- It's hard to keep track of all the names.

Cards, books, visits, calls on the phone

Gave strength to me, I was never alone.

Your hopes and prayers are appreciated more

than I can say--Hopes and dreams for a brighter day. MANY THANKS!!

Fish, as a dish, has long been known to ward off heart disease, but less attention had been paid to whether the same creatures could stave off cancer. Researchers at the Mario Negri Institute, Milan, found people who regularly dine on fish may develop fewer cases of oral and digestive tract cancers than those who bypass fish. The scientists believe that fatty acids prevalent in seafood inhibit tumor growth, though they admit that fish-eaters may be protected by other healthy habits as well. Go FISH!

Dear Cancer Club,

I am a four-year breast cancer survivor and your humor is wonderful. Humor helped me get through my chemo and radiation, and all that came with it. My son was in fifth grade at the time, and when my hair had all fallen out, he told me, "Mom, I'll polish your head for a quarter!"

I was afraid to ask him what he was going to use to polish it! When he said that, I knew he was going to be okay with my "adventure". Thank you for your work with cancer awareness.

Sharon Byars, Killeen, TX

Dear Cancer Club,

A little laughter can go a long way. A lot can go even further. Just a cute story to share: My dad is trying to learn some of the household chores to help my Mom, diagnosed with cancer. So he asked me to show him how to mop the kitchen floor.

He was very busy mopping the floor while my Mom and I chatted in the living room. He stuck his head out of the doorway and very seriously asked my Mom, "Do you move the refrigerator when you do this?"

It was very funny. Unfortunately, my Mom was having a "No Hair Day," and didn't quite see the humor of all this. Poor guy. He really is trying. I hope my Mom's sense of humor improves. Thanks for your prayers.

Susan Rosenquist, Willows, CA

Dear Cancer Club,

While I convinced my oncologist to let me take my five- year-old daughter to Disneyworld, I agreed to wear the mask on the airplane (so many germs), and off we went. It was wonderful. My husband was so much help and knew how tired I was.

We had come home one night, and we were all eating take-out burgers, sitting on the bed (me, with my hat off and bald as a cue-ball). I bit into my burger, and my front tooth broke in half (chemo is hard on the teeth!). At least I didn't swallow it! But I realized what had happened, screamed (not really loud), and jumped up to look in the mirror.

I turned around and looked at John and Emmy, and pointed to my mouth, my head, the entire picture. "Could I possibly get any uglier? Please, John, get me some super glue."

I was too exhausted and just went to sleep while my husband went in search of polident (he really is the best!). I spent the next few days with polident, and got my tooth fixed when we got home. It was pretty funny, and friends love to hear the story.

Andree Gordon, Lebanon, NJ

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ABOUT...BREAST CANCER PINKY RING™? Created by Aileen Magnotto following her journey with breast cancer (her husband is a prostate cancer survivor as well), the Pinky Ring helps support The Susan G. Komen Foundation. Visit www.breastcancerpinkyring.com.

ABOUT...CHEMOSSENTIALS ™? Bags and Kits in a variety of options, these functional and practical gifts are pleasing to the eye and comforting to the spirit. Contain specially selected items to alleviate the side- effects of chemotherapy. Ranging from $25-135. Visit www.chemossentials.com.

ABOUT...WORLD HOSPITALS? Cancer survivor Steve Smith has assembled a growing list of World Hospitals on the web. A simple and globally accessible way for Patients, Medical Researchers, and Physicians to get information on any hospital in the world. Visit www.worldhospitals.net.

The Arkansas State Medical Board ordered Dr. Jewel Byron Grimmett, Jr., a family physician in Waldo, to start keeping written medical records. At a hearing, Grimmett told board members that he has kept all patient histories, including prescription records, only in his head for the 35 years he has been practicing medicine.

Grimmett avoided license revocation; he is Waldo's only doctor.

source: Atlanta Journal, Atlanta, GA

"Humor is the great thing, the saving thing.The minute it crops up, all our irritations and resentments slip away, and a sunny spirit takes their place."

-- Mark Twain

The Cancer Club™, based in Minneapolis, MN, was created by Christine Clifford in 1995 in response to her diagnosis of Stage III metastatic breast cancer at the age of 40 in 1994. Christine, whose mother died of breast cancer at 42, found during her own treatments that while family and friends were supportive, noone ever gave her anything to make her laugh.

Needing a lift, Christine began to search for signs of humor in herself and her predicament. She found them daily. The more she laughed, the stronger she grew, and The Cancer Club™ was born.

The critically acclaimed Cancer Club™ is the first organization to offer hope and support to cancer patients, their families and friends through the healing power of humor. A dynamic speaker, Christine has traveled the globe with her keynote presentations and seminars on using humor to get through life's adversities.

Christine is married to speaker/author Harry Beckwith (co-authors of You, Inc. The Art of Selling Yourself) and is the mother of five boys: Harry, Jr., Tim, Walter, Brooks & Cole; a daughter Cooper, a cat Simone and grandmother to a Siberian Husky named Skylar. Call The Cancer Club™ today or email us to book Christine for your next event. Don't forget to laugh! ™

We hope you've enjoyed this edition of The Cancer Club™ eNewsletter. We'd like to thank our FABulous illustrator Jack Lindstrom of FAB Artists!

If you have a humorous or interesting story about cancer, send it to us at: P.O. Box 24747 Edina, MN 55424-0747 or email us at: Christine@cancerclub.com

Visit us online at www.cancerclub.com

Have a fabulous Valentine's Day, and don't forget to laugh!™