Vicksburg lawyer A.J. “Buddy” Dees and his fiancee, Mary Miller, have made the color pink delicious in an effort to increase cancer awareness.

They’re producing and selling pink gluten-free tortilla chips to raise money for cancer research. The chips, which are produced by their company, Spirit Chips, are dedicated to Dees’ mother, Nelle Dees, who died in 1990 of breast cancer.

“This is something personal,” Miller said. “We both have family members who have been affected by cancer. Buddy’s mother died from cancer and he has an aunt who died from cancer. I have a brother who has been diagnosed with cancer and an aunt who has brain cancer. I play the harp, and I play for the cancer patients at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas.”

“I’m honored that she wanted to dedicate these chips for my mother,” Dees said. “That makes it very meaningful to me. All of the net proceeds will go to cancer research.”

Founded by Miller, Spirit Chips is a specialty company that makes tortilla chips in colors for universities, pro teams and holidays.

“We started talking about this in August. When we decided to do something for cancer, we decided to use what was available,” Miller said. “It took us a while to get the color right.”

Miller said the pink chips have garnered national attention because they are a perfect shade of pink, gluten-free and have zero cholesterol, zero hydrogenated oils and zero trans fatty acids. They are low sodium and have a shelf life of 90 days.

The pink chips are sold in 1-pound bags for $5.95 per bag, and are avaliable on line at www.BreastCancerChips.com or at Riverwalk Casino.

“We were very happy that Riverwalk said they would sell them,” Miller said. “We approached them and asked if they would help us, and they said, ‘yes.’ They’ve sold out and we’ve just restocked them. I just wish we could have started making them in August.”