As we at Let’s Dish! began the planning for the 2008 Pink Dish! Campaign, I found it hard to believe that it had already been a year since our first initiative. Then again, a year can mean so much in the fight against breast cancer - and the same is true for Pink Dish!.

Lisa is now a “survivor” - her chemo complete, her hair has grown back (and is quite adorable, I must say) and her life just as active as ever. Her story inspired us to action last year as we launched the Pink Dish! Campaign in the mid-Atlantic.

We really had no idea what to expect in terms of support for the Pink Dish! mission: to provide Let’s Dish! meals at no cost to families coping with breast cancer. We knew that our customer base was largely women - and with the sobering (and now very personal) knowledge that one in every eight women either has or will be diagnosed with breast cancer, we thought that our initiative would be something we could all support.

In the end, the 2007 Pink Dish! Campaign achieved more than we had ever hoped. Through donations from friends, family, customers and the greater community, we were able to give Pink Dish! gifts to all families that were nominated last year. These courageous women and families received a gift certificate for Let’s Dish! meals and future free assembly to help them through the difficult time.

As the main liaison to the nominating friends and family as well as the Pink Dish! families, I can tell you I felt so honored to be a part of Pink Dish!. I was the messenger of a tremendous swell of best wishes and direct support for our Pink Dish! families. Personally, I found my Inbox a place of joy and tears as I came to know these families through our email communications. Some of our Pink Dish! Stories are full of triumph and recovery, but as we know with cancer, happy endings are not guaranteed. These stories only strengthened my resolve to make this year - the 2008 Pink Dish! Campaign - reach even more families to directly help them cope with the impact of breast cancer on their lives.

I hope you’ll join us as we strive to grow the Pink Dish! Campaign this year - to help more families with healthy and nutritious meals that they can enjoy together. Please take a moment to read through the Pink Dish! website for all the ways you can contribute.

Whether you share your story, blog about the Pink Dish! Campaign to spread the word, or send a Pink Dish! E-Dedication on behalf of a friend, we need your help to grow awareness of the campaign and make our mission known to as many as possible. And, your financial contribution is critical to giving as many families nominated a Pink Dish! gift. Read the details on the Pink Dish! campaign to see all the ways you can donate to the Pink Dish! campaign, including contributing when you sign up for a Let’s Dish! session (at home with code DISHPINK2008 or in store), add on a donation for $5 or more with any order, pick up a Pink Dish! retail item or purchase the brand new Pink Dish! entrée on the October menu, developed in collaboration with the American Cancer Society: Antioxidant Rich Greek Isle Chicken.

Pink Dish! 2008 is just beginning. Last year we learned how powerful the gift of family dinners can be to a family in the fight against breast cancer. This year, we can do more. Let’s work together in October to grow awareness of the Let’s Dish! Pink Dish! Campaign and our mission to raise funds to help as many families as possible.

Visit the Pink Dish website now: www.letsdish.com/pinkdish