Jordan Lawhead was a teenager when he was first diagnosed with melanoma. Exercise helped him feel better, but he also says you need to acknowledge the love of the people around you.

Leroy Sievers was a journalist who traveled the world covering wars, invasions and other conflicts. In 2005, he began a battle of his own against colon cancer. A producer for ABC’s Nightline, Leroy was a gifted communicator. During his illness he appeared in a Discovery Channel documentary with Ted Koppel and wrote a blog for National Public Radio called “My Cancer” – a project Leroy called the most meaningful of his career.

Laurie Singer, Leroy’s wife and caretaker, saw first hand how much the blog empowered Leroy and how intimately it connected him to the worldwide cancer community.

Jenna Langer created a blog – – after being diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome. She uses the blog to report on her own progress, comment on issues of public policy and express her own creativity.

Caitlin Waters took inspiration from the New York Times writing a blog about her course of treatment.

Ellen DeCaro spent her career as a teacher until a brain tumor meant she could no longer spend every day in the classroom. It was important and meaningful for her to continue to take care of others, so she began making small, hand-sewn pillows for members of her community.

When artist Maria Lanas spent time in the hospital with her father-in-law, Shapour, during his cancer treatments, she was inspired by the drops of chemotherapy medicine falling inside of his IV bottle. She imagined the fluid mixing with his blood and later created a series of paintings called, “Infusions.” She calls the paintings a gift from her father-in-law. “It was a release for me,” she says. “Art has been a good friend of mine.”

Melvin “Buddy” Eckart was a man of faith and family who had an indomitable spirit and a penchant for country line dancing.