Mother, writer, Patch blogger, Sharon Scalora shared her story of diagnosis and treatment. Scalora was diagnosed with breast cancer in early 2011, just weeks after her father's death from prostate cancer.  Scalora blogged about her diagnosis, and the many stages of her treatment, including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

Her loyal readers wrote back to her blog posts. When Scalora described a lesson she learned, that "everything is relative," her daughter and friends replied. When Scalora suggested ways to help an ill friend or relative, locals responded, taking her lessons to heart and forwarding the suggestions.

About a year ago, Scalora blogged again, in a column called "Life Goes On." She wrote, "Strangely, as I crawl out of the breast cancer trench, everything else in my world is exactly as it was before. I returned part time to my job, the kids began another year of school, there’s homework, soccer and volleyball games, Thursday night dinners at my mother-in-law’s and a dirt patch in my backyard that will one day be a lovely patio...But I’m not the same."

Scalora marked her February birthday this year by cycling in a friend's fundraiser. She learned that day, she wrote, "it means a lot to know I make a difference to the people who matter most in my life. Who could ask for a better birthday gift than that?"

And where -- or how -- is Scalora now?

"I'm doing great," she reports.  "Feeling better than ever, taking good care of my body and spirit and trying to keep everything I learned from the experience at the forefront."

For the full list of Scalora's blog posts, click here.