"It has become a sad truth that practically everyone knows someone who has had this disease, and we can never do enough to raise people's level of awareness and understanding of the issues surrounding it," Batiuk said.

Batiuk worked on Lisa's story in addition to continuing the normal routine of producing his daily strip. It took him about four years to do the necessary research, writing, and rewriting. Batiuk believes by giving the disease a face, the series can go beyond the dry statistics and basic information most people hear.

Lisa's Story The character, Lisa Moore is a young wife and college student. As she plays a friendly game of football, she lands very hard on her chest after being tackled. The resulting discomfort prompts her to do a breast self exam. That's when she discovers a lump in her breast. Lisa goes through tests at her doctor's office and has her fears confirmed when she is told she has breast cancer.

Subsequently, Lisa has a biopsy, surgery, and chemotherapy, all with her husband Les at her side. As Lisa goes through the physical changes of treatment, her self-image and relationships change as well. The strips show readers how those around Lisa are affected by what happens to her. Her friend Holly, also a breast cancer survivor, is quick to point out, "Normal isn't as normal as it once was."

A great cartoonist "Tom captured my attention from the very first panel and held it captive until the very last one. The series made me laugh, made me cry, and most importantly, it gave me hope," said Regina Brett, a breast cancer survivor and president of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

Brett added the strip accurately reflected her own experience with the disease. "A good cartoonist is one who can make people laugh. A great cartoonist is one who can make people laugh in the midst of fear, sadness, and uncertainty," she said.

"No matter what it takes, this woman [Lisa] wants to live simply because life is so precious. I want to thank Tom for giving us breast cancer in all its rawness. He proved that not even cancer can impair the funny bone," Brett added.

Tackling important social issues Since the creation of the strip in 1972, Batiuk has continually tackled tough social issues: teen suicide, guns in schools, and teen pregnancy have all been depicted in series, by Funky characters.

"When I first began addressing important social issues in my work, I had some concerns over whether a comic strip was the proper place to explore such topics," Batiuk said. "Since then, my characters have shown me the comic form is indeed capable of carrying the weight of mature expression."

"It [the strip] allows us to wrestle with difficult ideas in the world of fantasy before bumping into them in the gritty world of reality," he added. "Interesting, humorous, and useful descriptions of our struggles can, and I think do, make a difference."

• kingfeatures