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June 27th, 2012
11:45 AM ET
How becoming a patient can make you strongerEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week Roxanne Black talks about the social network she started for people dealing with a serious illness. Those of us who face illness remember the before and after moments: The day the phone rang, or the doctor walked into your hospital room, and it was clear that life as you had known it was about to change. You discover that you have cancer or multiple sclerosis, or that your loved one has been diagnosed with a chronic disease. You hang up the phone or walk out of the hospital feeling as if your world has been transformed. It’s not simply fear that makes you so disoriented – it’s because you are in the midst of experiencing a true glimpse of the great preciousness and precariousness of life. On a daily basis, we tend to be conditioned to live within a limited perception of our consciousness and power. Yet illness manages to help us find ourselves, to free ourselves. It is in the face of suffering that so many of us are thrown into the depths of ourselves and come up bearing treasures of strength, insight and courage we never knew were there.
June 20th, 2012
11:48 AM ET
'American Idol' favorite James Durbin overcomes Tourettes, Aspergers and bullyingEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. James Durbin became a household name last year as the "American Idol" fan favorite who also has Tourette syndrome and Aspergers syndrome. He also opens up about how music was not only a refuge from neurological disorders, but also years of bullying. I believe it was December of '98 when my dad passed away of an overdose. A few weeks later, around my 10th birthday, I was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and Asperger syndrome. It was a really rough time, especially at that age, being told I have a neurological "disease," when I already felt so different. At that point I was being bullied for being different, having big ears, and now for having no dad AND for making weird faces and noises I couldn't control. I was a walking target.
June 13th, 2012
07:24 AM ET
Gymnast reveals 'dark side' to Olympic journeyEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. In her memoir, "Off Balance," in stores this week, 1996 Olympic gymnast Dominique Moceanu opens up about her life outside the spotlight. This is an exciting time for me – with the release of my new memoir, "Off Balance," I’m finally able to reveal the entire story of my life. Most people may know me as the youngest U.S. gymnast in history to win an Olympic gold medal (at the age of 14) and as a member of the historic 1996 US Women’s Olympic Gymnastic team (also known as “the Magnificent Seven”), the first and only American women’s team to take gold at the Olympics. Of course, to achieve the pinnacle of any field, a lot of sacrifices have to be made. I had my share of sacrifices both in and out of the gym. My relationships with the two primary male figures in my early life - my stubborn and volcanic father and my internationally known coach, Bela Karolyi (who coached me during the Olympics) have been written about by various media outlets but never from my perspective. When you are in the media spotlight as a 14 year old, most think you are having the time of your life - meeting celebrities, going on post-Olympic tours, making magazine covers, Wheaties boxes and photo shoots. For me, however, there was also an untold, dark side.
June 1st, 2012
10:35 AM ET
Human Factor: Why bald is beautifulEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week, mother, photographer and cancer survivor Jane Bingham, shares her story about how she is working to reduce the stigma of baldness women and children. The bad news: I have an incurable type of cancer. The good news: My experiences with living with cancer inspired me to do things I never thought I would do.
May 17th, 2012
03:01 PM ET
Charlie Wilson's fight against prostate cancerEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week American R&B singer-songwriter-producer Charlie Wilson explains why he's talking a lot about prostate cancer. “Mr. Wilson... you have prostate cancer.” Those words made up the most devastating phrase I had ever heard. I have faced numerous challenges in my life and my journey hasn’t been an easy one. I walk that journey step-by-step and prayer-by-prayer. But prostate cancer was a new challenge. I remember hearing I had prostate cancer like it was yesterday. I was convinced my life was over. I worked hard at overcoming other life challenges and had the will to return to the top of my game in the music business. I put together a good show; had a catalog of great new songs to record and perform. Everything was just going great until I went to the doctor for a general physical in the summer of 2008.
May 9th, 2012
11:31 AM ET
From horseback-riding to a wheelchair and backEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week Krystal Greco, 16, shares her story about pursuing her passion despite a life-changing injury. Ever since the age of four, I've been a horseback rider. It never occurred to me that a day might come when I wouldn’t be able to ride. But March 7, 2010, was that day. It was a normal Sunday afternoon. As usual, I had woken up late. I was showering and started feeling some cramping in my lower back, which wasn’t uncommon because I was being treated for a stress fracture in my lumbar spine. I was out of the shower and partially dressed when it happened - the explosion of pain.
May 3rd, 2012
06:32 AM ET
Struck by bus, former firefighter gets back in fighting formEditor's note: In the Human Factor, CNN profiles survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week we meet Matt Long, who was riding a bike through New York City in December 2005 when he was hit by a bus. Long nearly died and underwent more than 40 operations. A self-described "fitness junkie," Long eventually triumphed three years later by racing in the New York City Marathon. I get asked quite often where I find my motivation. This past Monday, I had the pleasure of being invited to speak to the Mullica Hill Triathlon Club in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. It’s meeting people like them that I use for my own inspiration. The room was at full capacity - 200+ female triathletes of different abilities, all out there for the love of the sport. I can’t tell you when I've had a better audience. Each member was racing or training for individual reasons, some finding more success than others, and some battling with their own adversity. At the same time they all had the same desire to push themselves to be better triathletes or even just healthier people.
April 26th, 2012
08:13 AM ET
Human Factor: Doctor's post-cancer life lessonEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week transplant surgeon Dr. Carlos Zayas describes his experience as a patient when he underwent a bone marrow transplant. When I was diagnosed with T-cell lymphoma in 2009, I was told I had a 10% chance (or less) of survival with a 90% chance of relapse. Needless to say, it was overwhelming. After 24 rounds of chemo, 18 different drugs, a failed transplant of my own bone marrow and an unsuccessful international search for a perfect bone marrow match, I knew my prognosis didn’t look good - but I decided that my diagnosis didn’t mean I was going to die.
April 17th, 2012
05:43 AM ET
The beat goes on for music producer diagnosed with multiple sclerosisEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta introduces us to Noah “40” Shebib, a music producer who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in his early 20s. Q: What was it like to receive that diagnosis as such a young man? A: It started with sensory issues. I woke up one day and all the temperature in my body was distorted. My sense of hot and cold and what that meant to my brain was very confusing. Any time something like that happens to your body - which is very difficult to explain when you have MS - is that your brain is tricked, so your nerves are telling you something that's not true. Any time your brain is telling you something that's not true, there's a little bit of trauma for your body in general to understand what's going on, so you're a little bit in shock. I went to the hospital very quickly after that and was diagnosed within a couple of weeks. It continued to escalate to a much worse place in a month, and I spent the next two years of my life getting back on my feet.
April 11th, 2012
06:35 PM ET
Human Factor: Promising future after near-fatal fallEditor's note: In the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle – injury, illness or other hardship – they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn't know they possessed. This week we meet Fairland Ferguson, who has fulfilled a dream of working with horses and making people smile. She now stars in the travelling equestrian ballet "Cavalia," after surviving a near-fatal accident. I am a Christian. I believe our purpose on Earth is to serve God and serve other people. I believe every ability, every circumstance and every situation in our life is a gift that we are given to show people God’s love. I am also a firm believer that everything works out in accordance to God’s plan, and after August 3, 2003, nothing was more clear to me than all of these beliefs. FULL POST |
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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