Contributors

Mel Mann, MBA, M.Ed.

Mel was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia in January 1995 and given three years to live. The only possible hope for survival was a bone marrow transplant. Despite numerous marrow drives and adding thousands of people to the marrow registry, he never found a donor. Three years after diagnosis, he entered the phase 1 clinical trial of Gleevec (imatinib) at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Over twenty years later, he is their longest living Gleevec patient.

Carolyn Choate

Carolyn Choate recently retired from the TV production industry to write full-time. Diagnosed at 45 with stage 3 estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer in 2003, she underwent two radical mastectomies - in 2003 and 2012 - without reconstruction. Carolyn credits Angela Brodie, Ph.D., and her discovery of the aromatase inhibitor, for saving her life and those of millions of women globally. In the summer of 2017, Carolyn and her older daughter kayaked from New Hampshire to Baltimore in tribute to Dr. Brodie. When not informing others about Dr. Brodie and the "living flat" movement, Carolyn enjoys gardening, cooking and RVing with her family and dog.

Dee Wieczorek

Dee lives in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, with her boyfriend and their cat. She works, cooks, knits, writes and is studying to be a CPA. She plans on living to be 106.

Greg Cantwell

Greg Cantwell was 30 years old when he was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), a primary brain tumor. Even though Greg had the support from his family and friends, he didn't know anyone that could relate to his fight or who had conquered the same type of cancer. Since founding his non-profit, Greg's Mission, in 2012, he has helped over 1,700 patients, families and caregivers to navigate the brain tumor journey.

Edward McClain

Edward D. McClain retired from the U. S. Department of Commerce in 1995 and has been living in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, since 1996. Ed likes to work for his church, hunt, fish and collect rare firearms. He enjoys professional football, cooking shows and action TV shows/films but will not watch game shows nor talk shows. Ed is a two-time survivor of CLL, by the Grace of God.

Stacie Chevrier

Stacie Chevrier is a recovering type-A, corporate climber who made a big life change after being diagnosed with cancer in September 2014. She now spends her days focusing on writing, fitness and healthy living. Outside of these passions, Stacie can be found practicing yoga, enjoying anything outdoors, traveling and defying the odds as a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor survivor.

Ron Cooper

Ron Cooper writes about the funny and serious sides of cancer. He is the author of “A Grateful Survivor” (Amazon) and blogs at RonCooperAuthor.com. Come along for the ride on his cancer journey!

Kate Beland

Kate Beland does not believe that cancer defines her. She is an athlete, a marathoner, a mother, a wife and a writer. When she is not conducting her three-ring circus act, she is busy kicking late stage melanoma's butt and keeping herself sane through her writing and running: https://www.facebook.com/runningandcancer/ or www.runliftbreathe.blogspot.com