When Allison Bond, 36, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020, she had no idea the number of resources she and her family would need to deal with a shocking diagnosis right as a global pandemic was emerging. ‘An appointment that changed her life’ Currently in her eleventh year of teaching, Allison is a fourth-grade teacher in Leander. A mom …

In 2017, Paul Lang, now 48, was at a self-professed low moment in his life. He was a recently divorced father of three, he just found out he was being laid off from his job in the tech industry, and then, he was diagnosed with cancer. ‘The start of this cancer saga’ At work, Paul noticed he was becoming very …

When you receive a cancer diagnosis, “grateful” typically isn’t the first word that comes to mind, but for Ken Laney, 66, the sentiment has been an integral theme throughout his cancer journey. A native of Florida, Ken spent many long days at the beach getting burned by the sun. He and his wife Terri moved from Florida to Texas in …

In March 2016, Mark Balderas, 58, bought himself the ultimate toy — a brand new Harley Davidson motorcycle which he named ‘Priscilla’. The very next day, he was diagnosed with stage IV kidney cancer. ‘Priscilla’ sat in the garage for five years, unridden. Originally from San Antonio, Mark and his family moved to Round Rock in 1977. He and his …

Emily Robinson, 56, wears many hats. Based in Round Rock, Texas, she’s an event coordinator who travels the globe, an artist, and, more recently, a survivor of cancer. Though she’s learned to handle whatever life throws her way, she never thought she’d experience cancer herself. She developed a mantra to stay focused on what counts after she was diagnosed with …

A decked-out RV is where Katherine “Kat” Golden and her husband Jim call home in Elgin, Texas. A retired master carpenter, Jim outfitted the RV with custom cabinets and floors and attached his wood shop next door. “We have the best kitchen in an RV that anyone could ask for,” chuckled Kat, who works part-time with the City of Elgin. …

Looking out at his front yard in Spicewood, Texas, Alan Anders enjoys the view, with flowers shining in the sun and bees lazily buzzing. At 69 years old, he’s thinking about his next activity – refilling his bird feeders – and mapping out the rest of his day. Each activity is part of what makes Alan’s life special now. And …

For Mike Diers, 54, perception is reality. Worrying about things outside his control is not his way–he’s laser-focused and takes life step-by-step. Of course, some things in life are beyond any one person’s control. In those instances, Mike’s logical nature blends with his faith in a higher power. That balance would be crucial as he faced down cancer. Fending off …

After 41 years of marriage, it was finally time for Georgetown, Texas, couple Karen Sams and her husband, David, to travel out West. The couple looked forward to their trip of a lifetime – Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, and Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. But Karen received a call that, quite literally, stopped her in her tracks. She knew …

Sailing through the air, the line leaves soft ripples in the water as Lorinda Wilks fly casts. A lifelong passion, fly fishing has been central to Lorinda’s life for decades. “They say ‘it’s the tug that’s the drug’ – fly fishing draws you in,” says Lorinda. “It’s not conventional, and I like the challenge.” Fly fishing wouldn’t be the only …