Best of Cancerwise 2014: Stories of hope

Throughout the past year, our cancer patients have shared stories of their challenges and trials while revealing their determination, spirit and strength. These stories give us all what we could always use a little bit more of: hope.

Here are some of our most inspiring stories of hope from 2014.

Infant leukemia survivor reflects on the hospital that raised her
A few months after 9-month-old Ivana Camarillo was diagnosed with infant leukemia, she received a cord blood transplant. Now, at age 15, she's helping other kids with cancer.

"Most people wonder why I do this and why I haven't just left cancer in my past," she says. "My answer is simple: I believe you should never forget where you came from." Read her story.

How a CML clinical trial and Gleevec saved my life
Mel Mann was a 37-year-old major in the U.S. Army when he was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia. But he found hope in a phase I clinical trial for ST1571, now known as Gleevec. Sixteen years later, Mel is MD Anderson's longest living Gleevec patient. Read his story.

Squamous cell carcinoma patient runs 28th Boston Marathon
After running the Boston Marathon 27 times, you'd think Bob Lehew would have experienced every trial a runner could face. But in 2014, Bob ran the race halfway into his six weeks of his squamous cell carcinoma treatment. Found out what inspires him to keep going.

How my ovarian cancer diagnosis strengthened my marriage
Brittany Hurst married the man of her dreams on Sept. 15, 2012. But just five weeks after her wedding, she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.

"When we said our vows, Brandon and I had no idea that in 'sickness and in health' would be tested so soon. We learned how important we were to each other really quick," she says. Learn how cancer helped this couple grow stronger.
 
My uveal melanoma journey
Marla Avery had never heard of uveal melanoma until she received her diagnosis. As a part of her cancer treatment, Marla's left eye had to be removed. The change was difficult for Marla, a makeup artist whose appearance had always been important to her. See how she learned to cope.

A mom reflects on her cancer journey
After she was diagnosed with breast cancer, Estelle Racusin wondered how her journey would impact her 4-year-old son, Ben.

"Throughout my breast cancer treatment, I told myself I had to live to show Ben that in life we are all dealt different scenarios, but the strong survive," she says. "I wanted him to know that it's how we deal with adversity that defines us." Read her story.

Dating after tongue cancer
For Rita Avila, sometimes the idea of dating is scarier than cancer itself. "As if dating weren't tricky enough, I have the added pressure of telling any guy I'm interested in that I've had tongue cancer," she says. "And I still have the scars, the feeding tube and the follow-up appointments that came along with it."  Find out how she's learning to move on after cancer.