October is one of my favorite months of the year for many reasons...autumn is my favorite season, Halloween is my favorite holiday, my daughter was born and breast cancer research and awareness is one of my favorite charities.  Breast cancer has touched my family's life deeply, for my mother-in-law, Jannell Cleaver, died from this illness back in 2003.

Because cancer took away Michael's mother so soon, she never had the chance to see my husband and I get married, visit us in our first home we bought together or ever meet her wonderful granddaughter.  In order to do my part to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure charity, I've joined forces with the Scholastic Parent & Child Passionately Pink for the Cure team.  Keep reading to learn more about how you can help and even WIN ONE OF TWO $100 AMEX GIFT CARDS!

Breast cancer is a disease in which malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the breast.  It is considered a heterogeneous disease—differing by individual, age group, and even the kinds of cells within the tumors themselves.  Obviously no woman wants to receive this diagnosis, but hearing the words “breast cancer” doesn’t always mean an end.  It can be the beginning of learning how to fight, getting the facts, and finding hope.

Women in the United States get breast cancer more than any other type of cancer except for skin cancer.  It is second only to lung cancer as a cause of cancer death in women.

Each year it is estimated that nearly 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.  Approximately 1,700 men will also be diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 will die each year.  The evaluation of men with breast masses is similar to that in women, including mammography.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure® is extremely proud of the financial stewardship they offer for the donations their supporters give.  They are accredited by the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, and have been rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator for the past five years.  All Passionately Pink donations help support Komen’s breast cancer research initiatives.  And, just as importantly Passionately Pink donations are shared with our network of local Affiliates.

In order to help this extremely worthwhile charity, my husband and I have decided to donate the two $100 AMEX gift cards that Scholastic sent to me to thank me for my participation in this project.  I'm hoping that by offering these as a giveaway prize, we can turn $200 into at least $1,000 worth of life-saving education, screening and treatment programs at the community level.

Scholastic is even offering you a chance to get in on the action and help the Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure charity!  When you raise money under the Scholastic Parent & Child team to help support Passionately Pink for the Cure, you can win one of the following rewards:

• One top Scholastic Parent & Child fundraising team will receive $250 worth of gift certificates to the Scholastic Store (divided among team members)

• The top 5 Scholastic Parent & Child fundraising teams will receive 50 Scholastic books for their children or to be donated to a community center of choice

• All Scholastic Parent & Child teams that raise money will receive a 20% discount to the Scholastic Online Store (for each team member)
  Valid only at The Scholastic Store Online within six (6) months of receipt. Certain restrictions may apply.

Register your Scholastic Parent & Child fundraising team today at passionatelypink.org

To view the Official Rules click here

Please join me by wearing pink through the month of October and donating to the Mommies Living the Life of PINK! team today!

WIN IT!

TWO lucky readers will win a $100 AMEX Gift Card for helping to support the Susan G. Komen Passionately Pink for the Cure charity! (ARV $100 each)

MANDATORY ENTRY!

Please donate to my Passionately Pink fundraising team (Mommies Living the Life of PINK!) as part of the Scholastic Parent & Child Passionately Pink for the Cure Team.

As an added incentive, anyone who donates to my team will also get 3 additional entries into EVERY NEW GIVEAWAY here at Mommy Living the Life of Riley THROUGH THE END OF THE YEAR!

Every $2.00 you donate will earn you ONE entry into this giveaway.  For instance, if you donate $10.00, you will receive 5 entries.  If you donate $5.00, you will receive 2 entries.  Once you have donated, then please come back and leave a comment here for each entry you earned.  Make sure that your email address is correct and that the name you leave matches the name you used to make the donation, so that I can validate your entries.

Donate here: Mommies Living the Life of PINK! team

For example, say I donated $6.00 under the name of my deceased mother-in-law, Jannell Cleaver.  I would then come back here and leave the following 3 comments, making sure that my correct email address was entered when I commented:

• Jannell Cleaver #1
• Jannell Cleaver #2
• Jannell Cleaver #3

If you have any questions or need any help with this giveaway at all, please don't hesitate to contact me at [email protected] 

I check EVERY entry! Please only leave valid comments for valid entries!

This giveaway is in no way facilitated, sponsored or administered by Facebook or Twitter.