Elizabeth is the wife of Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards.

Just as she renewed her fight, two local tennis-playing buddies were waging their own campaign against the disease, which will strike 180,510 men and women this year and claim the lives of another 40,910.

Christy Shane of Gulf Breeze and Tabatha Rasch of Pensacola are selling a cookbook, “Recipes for Life,” to raise money to fight breast cancer.

They formed a non-profit, Passionately Pink, through which they are donating 100 percent of the proceeds to the Pensacola Breast Cancer Association.

So far, they’ve raised in excess of $2,000.

“Tabatha's mother is a survivor, and my great-grandmother and great-aunts all had breast cancer,” said Shane, a stay-at-home mom. “We were also involved with walking in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer for our tennis pro, Jean Lee, who was recently diagnosed.’’

After they spotted an advertisement about publishing their own cookbook, they got busy collecting recipes in October. By February, they had compiled all of the recipes, had the cover designed and went to work selling advertising.

The cookbook contains 150 recipes donated in honor of someone who has breast cancer or in the memory of someone who had breast cancer.

“We started out getting recipes from friends and family locally,” Shane said. Then, through word of mouth, recipes started coming in from people out of town and the state.

Their first order of 300 books has been selling briskly, so the women have placed an order for 300 more books.
Sprinkled among the 87 pages of recipes that feature everything from appetizers to gourmet and home-cooked main dishes, there are cooking hints and tips on foods that are touted to help fight cancer.

"We are already taking recipes for the next book, because so many more people want to give recipes,” Shane said.

“We have had tremendous support from the community, and every day, someone new is interested in selling our books."

The books are on sale at Get a Grip in Roger Scott Tennis Center in Pensacola, and The Club and Tea Time in Gulf Breeze. You can purchase the cookbook for $18, plus a $3 shipping and handling cost, by sending a check to “Passionately Pink,’’ 5089 Mandavilla Blvd., Gulf Breeze, FL 32563.

Visit www.passionatelypinkcookbook.com for an order form and for more details.

Featured recipe from “Recipes for Life.”

CRAWFISH CASSEROLE
By Pam Basham, diagnosed 1996 and 1998

3/4 stick margarine
1 (10 ounce) can Rotel tomatoes with chilies
1 (5 ounce) pkg. saffron yellow rice.
1 large onion, chopped.
1/2 green pepper, chopped.
1 can cream of mushroom soup.
1 pound crawfish tails (Louisiana brand are the best).
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese.
Tony Chachere's to taste.

Cook rice to directions. Set aside. Sauté onion and pepper in margarine, add tomatoes and simmer 10 minutes. Add tails and simmer 10 minutes. Take off heat and add soup, stir, add rice, stir, and add Tony's to taste. Put in a dish, sprinkle with cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.