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 …

Tony Laudadio is a giver. He’s also a connector of people, resources, and communities. Tony is a husband and father to three little girls, a brain tumor and renal cell carcinoma survivor, and to fellow cancer survivors and their families, Tony is hope. Tony’s journey began in July 2013 when he was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma at 29 years …

On a cliffside in Sol y Mar, El Salvador, sits a newly acquired property with Mike Downey’s name on it. Turquoise waters and world-class surf spots lured Mike to Central America years ago, and finding this beachside enclave on El Salvador’s west coast was a real gem. “It’s a hike to get down to the beach, but you can’t beat …

For Linda Money, family and faith are everything. Being a wife to a loving husband and mother to two daughters and a son are roles she doesn’t take lightly, but playing Mimi to four grandsons is where Linda really shines. When she was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer, her thoughts immediately shifted to them – how would cancer treatment …