Thoughts have the power to affect our attitude and emotions. And, when dealing with something difficult, like a cancer diagnosis, repeating certain phrases or words can help you shape your thoughts and cope with situations outside of your control.

Music has many benefits. It can create encouragement, motivation, determination, resilience, and the ability to cope. Most importantly, it can heal. Sometimes when there are no words or there is nothing to say, music says it all.

After going through treatment the second time, I began a successful recovery and wanted to find a way to give back and help fight the terrible disease that has affected my life and the lives of so many others.

Two-time cancer survivor, Elyse NeMoyer, explains how research helped save her life.

When she was almost 11, Kayla was mysteriously sick for two months. First her doctors thought she had a cold or mono, and then a stomach bug. Her blood work showed that her white blood cell count was through the roof.

What do you do when — after planning your life and working hard to achieve your dreams — your plans are interrupted by cancer?

One spring day in 2012, Janice woke up with a horrible headache. Because her mom had had a brain aneurysm at a young age, Janice paid attention and called her husband. By dinnertime that day, she was coming out of brain surgery.

I’m not a tanning guy, but my day-to-day job is all outside. Leading up to my diagnosis, I never wore sunscreen. The biggest thing I learned throughout all of this is to not wait.

“My first thought was that the news wasn’t real. I remember thinking there was no way I could have cancer. It doesn’t run in my family and everyone told me I’m too young,” says Racine.