Read more about PinkTober at Melissa Etheridge's Official Site

Singer / songwriter Melissa Etheridge has been one of the most recognizable celebrity faces in the battle against breast cancer, particularly since enduring her own battle with the disease, being diagnosed in October 2004.

Ever since then, she’s lent her name and musical talents to a variety of breast cancer awareness fundraising efforts and charities.

For October 2009 breast cancer awareness month, she graces the cover of the Delta Sky in-flight magazine, and Melissa Etheridge has donated for auction an autographed, one of a kind pink ribbon guitar strap – the one she wears in the cover shot, was designed by Carlos Falchi. All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundaton – click on the photo below to bid in the auction:

Melissa Etheridge Breast Cancer Awareness Autographed Guitar Strap for Auction

As a loyal Delta SkyMiles member, I’ve applauded all their past breast cancer awareness efforts – from pink ribbon planes to special pink scarves on flight attendants to the breast cancer bracelets they sold in the name of a coworker lost to breast cancer. I’ve written about Delta’s Breast Cancer Awareness efforts previously here.

Besides the October 2009 Delta Sky Mag feature (which I’ll get to read when I fly to NYC on Sunday -if you aren’t flying in October, sign up here for the online newsletter version), Delta Airlines also joined with Melissa Etheridge to kick off its fifth year of support for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) Sept. 29 by lighting the New York-JFK air traffic control tower in pink and honoring breast cancer survivors with a live in-flight performance by Hard Rock International PINKTOBER™ Ambassador Melissa Etheridge.

Delta will be joined by Etheridge, BCRF, and representatives from The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey at 5 p.m. EDT, Sept. 29 to light the exterior of the New York-JFK air traffic control tower in pink. Immediately following the lighting ceremony, Delta will host a charter flight for employee breast cancer survivors aboard its signature “pink plane” from JFK to Washington D.C.-Reagan National Airport. While in flight, Etheridge will perform a special acoustic rendition of her hit single “I Run for Life.”

“It is inspiring to our employees and customers to become increasingly involved in raising awareness and funds for this important cause,” said Joanne Smith, senior vice president of In-Flight Service. “Launching this year’s breast cancer awareness campaign in New York continues our growing support and presence in the city. After ‘painting’ JFK’s control tower pink, having Melissa perform in-flight will be an emotional, heartwarming experience.”

Delta’s “pink” flight between New York and Washington is the first in a series of activities planned throughout October to commemorate Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Thousands of Delta flight attendants will don pink t-shirts and pink versions of the airline’s red dress to offer pink lemonade to customers for $2 on flights worldwide, with net proceeds benefiting BCRF. Co-branded Delta and BCRF pink products, including pink luggage tags, tumblers, aprons and pens, also will be available beginning Sept. 15 at www.deltashop.com for $2-$16 to benefit BCRF.

Delta’s distinctive pink-and-white Boeing 757 aircraft, the “pink plane,” featuring BCRF’s trademarked pink ribbon logo on the tail of the aircraft and adjacent to the boarding door, first took flight in 2005. Since then, it has flown throughout the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean to generate awareness for the cause. In that time, Delta has raised nearly $1.5 million for BCRF through donations from customers, employees and The Delta Foundation, the airline’s charitable organization. The donations have funded the work of five researchers dedicated to the mission of achieving prevention and finding a cure for breast cancer.