GOOD shares the story of London-based broadcast journalist Ellie Jeffery, who was diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer that had spread to her lungs, liver, and bones. Her doctor told her she had only months to live. But not being one to go down without a fight, Jeffery started writing a blog called “Written Off” (named as such because her doctor had written her off as dead). “Cancer is a shitter, there’s no doubt about it, but there are ways to make your life work with it. It’s not easy but for the moment I feel lucky to have the security of routine and the ability to hold on to hope,” she wrote. Jeffery died on May 18, 2012—two years after her diagnosis. She was just 29 years old. Read the GOOD article online, and visit her blog to honor this woman’s brave fight.

Kelly Clarkson’s song, “Stronger,” features a catchy chorus that says, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Doctors, nurses, parents, and patients at Seattle Children’s Hospital showed off their best dance moves and sang along to the hit—and captured it all on video. This silly celebration of strength, hope, and unity was the idea of Chris Rumble, a 22-year-old cancer patient who was recently diagnosed with leukemia in April. Okay, I admit it: so the video is a little cheesy. But if it helps make kids fighting cancer a little happier, then I’m all for it. I know I’ll definitely be thinking of this when I’m climbing Kilimanjaro. Click the link above to read more about how this afternoon of fun went viral on Twitter and the internet at large, and make sure to watch the video, too.

NPR talks with Susan Gubar about her new book, Memoir of a Debulked Woman, which chronicles the author’s emotional and physical struggles with advanced ovarian cancer. It tackles the very personal subject with bravery and frankness. Gubar notes that, “writing the book was a kind of lifeline for me. Working on sentences and paragraphs and thinking about the poems that came to my mind that helped me to express what I was feeling…I don’t think I could have survived without writing the book.” Click the link above to learn more. There’s also an excerpt available to read from her book.

Motivational mantras for exercising should be chosen for the inspirational boost they give you…(and) should infuse you with strength of purpose.

I will definitely be brainstorming empowering words (and thinking of inspiring stories of courage and strength in the face of cancer) to keep me moving.