“I was tiny as a kid, and I was athletic growing up. I did not have the problems that obese children have. But when I quit being physically active, I started gaining weight. Then I went into a depression after my mother died of cancer, … Continue reading‘Tough old bird’ survivor of rare carcinoid cancer
When her mother tried to register Saundra Smith for school in Port Arthur, Texas, she got a surprising response. “They said they didn’t have a nursery school, and that she should bring me back next year for kindergarten,” Saundra said. Old enough to be a … Continue readingShe deals with the weighty issues of carcinoid cancer
Sylvia Escontrias caught the business bug as a teenager. “I remember telling my parents when I was a sophomore in high school that I was going to get a job at the mall,” she said. “They laughed and told me not to let my grades … Continue readingShe is sold on being a successful businesswoman
“I’ve been involved in Relay for Life since 1999. I showed up at the Lee College relay that year and ran a marathon just for fun. After that, I got hooked and started raising money. Every year I would raise more money and run more … Continue readingHe enjoys running for a cancer-fighting cause
“I met her in a bar at the Holiday Inn back in ’73. I was sitting there, and she was on a barstool. I said, ‘I’m going to walk over there and talk to her.’ That was it. If she were still here, we would … Continue reading‘I always thought that I would go before her’
“I have this weird autoimmune illness that the doctors have never really been able to figure out. My case has been written up in several medical journals because it’s so strange. “Years of medication and what have you affected my kidneys, and I had another … Continue readingBattling illness, she’s in charge of her own story
“Every day that I’m above ground, I thank the Lord. It could have been a lot different. I am a cancer survivor. This year makes 13 years cancer free. “I’m very grateful to have been granted these years to be with my family. I have … Continue readingShe’s making the most of cancer-free years
“One day I noticed this lump and figured it was a hernia. I had been at the driving range a lot, so I thought it might have been from practicing golf too much. I went to the doctor and he said, ‘That’s not a hernia. … Continue readingAfter beating cancer, ‘I’ve got another shot at life’
“My husband really didn’t have many symptoms, besides things that kind of disagreed with him when he ate. He had just lost his best friend to an aneurysm and changed his job, so I thought that with the stress and worrying it could be an … Continue readingFriend by her side at a time of great need
Sometimes, life can seem pretty darn difficult. What’s one of the saddest moments in your life? “Losing my tía, my aunt. She was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2012. She fought it and beat it. It was a good six months where she was in … Continue readingHe’s facing life’s challenges, one at a time