Totally appropriate for Breast Cancer Awareness Month was the recent opening and ribbon (pink of course) cutting ceremony at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure resource center in Rancho Mirage.

It offers Facts for Life materials, support services and help in finding information on a number of wide ranging breast cancer issues. Men are diagnosed at the rate of about 2,000 every year and are enthusiastically welcomed at this new facility.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by about 50 people, including Rancho Mirage city officials, Chamber of Commerce representatives and many Komen board members, plus a cadre of ambassadors from other cities.

Several women who are members of the popular food nonprofit Les Dames d'escoffier generously donated hors d'oeuvres, wine and soft drinks. Considering that many members of Les Dames are chefs or hold other top-notch food credentials, this was a particularly kind and delicious contribution.

Komen was founded in 1982 by Nancy Goodman Brinker to honor a promise she made to her older sister, Susan G. Komen, who died of breast cancer at the age of 36.

From that grassroots beginning, Brinker has now raised more than $1.3 billion for breast cancer research and programs.