The bimonthly magazine was born of women’s need for information that can improve the quality of their lives. It’s published by the sister-brother team that in 1994 created POZ, a magazine for people who are HIV-positive.

"MAMM is not so much about cancer as it is about life and pop culture as seen through the prism of cancer," said Megan Strub Whiting, MAMM’s publisher. Her brother, Sean O’Brien Strub, president of POZ Publishing in New York, has been HIV-positive for 17 years.

"I’ve learned through watching how Sean has dealt with HIV how tremendously powerful information can be," she said.

The magazine combines information with commentary, cultural pieces, and profiles. The premier issue profiles three breast-cancer survivors: actress Phyllis Newman; Geralyn Lucas, news editor of TV’s "20/20"; and Zora Brown, co-founder of the Breast Cancer Resource Committee. MAMM also covers other female cancers.

MAMM presents columns on treatment options, insurance and legal issues, health and fitness alternatives, sex, family, and psychology. At the back of each issue is a "Breast Cancer Information Guide" that defines various types of cancer and describes standard treatment options for each stage. The magazine also offers features on careers, relationships, finances, and fashion.

MAMM is a good resource for healthcare professionals to recommend to their patients, Whiting said. "It’s a whole lot more comprehensive than a pamphlet, and it’s something women can take home, read, and absorb," Whiting said. About 1.5 million American women know they have, or have had, breast cancer. Many more have it and don’t know it.

Although several groups publish newsletters dealing with female cancers, MAMM is the first national magazine to focus on them. Elly Kirschner, manager of information services for the National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations, said she expects MAMM to get a positive response. "Breast cancer has entered the mainstream, and lifestyle issues are becoming more important as women are living longer with the disease," she said.

Healthcare professionals who care for women with cancer are encouraged to contribute to MAMM by writing letters to the editor and by suggesting stories.

The cover story of the premier issue is an interview with journalist Linda Ellerbee, a five-year breast cancer survivor who talks frankly about how cancer has affected her life, for the better.

Ellerbee describes how in 1992 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a bilateral mastectomy.  "Now my priorities are things like how wonderful it felt, at age 52, to go rafting on the Colorado River and do things I didn’t think I could do," she said.

For its debut, 75,000 copies of MAMM are being distributed around the country. About one-third are available for $2.95 at newsstands and bookstores. Others are being distributed free to clinics, physician offices, and nonprofit agencies.

Why the title "MAMM?" It’s an obvious play on "mammogram" and "mammary," but it’s also a term of respect that cancer survivors deserve, writes Regan A. Solmo, editor of the premier issue, in her introductory column. She describes MAMM as "a magazine about courage, respect, and survival."