By The Survivors Club Staff
June 14, 2010

Denise Myers started working at the Grand Blanc optometrist's office only last September but, when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in February, her co-workers immediately offered to cover her shifts, according to the Flint Journal.

"They just took me under their wing... and they've only know me a few months," Myers says.

Myers was lucky enough to detect the cancer in the early stages, but she knew she would still have to fight with all of her strength. She quickly established a no crying rule in the office, reports the news source.

Although she is still receiving chemotherapy, the cancer is gone and Myers says her co-workers are half the reason she survived the battle. They donated money, meals, smiles, and dropped by her home every chance they got.

The National Cancer Institute estimates that every year, 192,370 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and 40,170 of these cases will prove fatal.

Breast cancer can be treated if it is detected early enough and doctors highly recommend that women who are over 40 get an annual mammogram. Experts also say that self examinations are a good way to make sure you detect the disease early.

Many different organizations across the country are raising awareness of breast cancer, as well as funding medical research on the topic. The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation is one such organization and accepts donations in its tireless efforts to battle cancer around the world.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 14, 2010

A Washington Township party at a house with a man-made lake almost ended in disaster, according to the Daily Record.

The party was hosted for students who were on the bus route belonging to bus driver John Hay. About 40 families attended the event, which took place at the home of Hay's late friend.

Andrew Gentile wanted to swim and his mother, Shirley Gentile, thought the water was shallow by the shore. However, as soon as Andrew stepped foot in the water, he realized he couldn't touch the bottom and frantically splashed in the lake as he fought to survive.

Luckily, eight-year old Reese Ronceray noticed the commotion. "I just saw and then I just knew how to react, I jumped in," he told the news source.

Reese pulled Andrew back to the shore, saving the boy's life. He says the hardest part was holding his breath and swimming underwater while tugging Andrew along.

The boys' school recently held a Reese Ronceray day in his honor and the mayor plans to recognize his selflessness as well.

Seattlechildrens.org states that approximately 1500 children drown each year, making it vital to fence off dangerous areas and always keep an eye on your family around pools, lakes, and the beach. Drowning prevention techniques can be found on the Seattle Children's website.

Children ages one to five are more prone to water-accidents than any other age group around the world. 78 percent of infants drown in the home and 56 percent of toddlers drown in artificial pools, according the National Institute of Health.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 14, 2010

Severe floods in Arkansas almost claimed a boy scout troop from Farmerville, Louisiana, according to KTBS.com.

The scouts were camping in Arkansas' Ouachita National Forest recently in order to earn their merit badges. Rain pummeled the campground during the night and scout master Robin Adams noticed that the water from the nearby river was creeping closer and closer to the camp.

The news source reports that troop 54 survived by gathering their belongings and running through the dark woods. They stayed in the safety of cars in a parking lot for the rest of the night and left the forest the following morning. Ever resilient, the scouts were already packing their bags the following Sunday to travel to a different campground, so they could again try and earn the merit badges.

The flash floods in the southwest of Arkansas caused the rapid rise of river levels by twenty feet, the CNM News Network reports. The water gushed straight through Ouachita National Forest and, so far, there have been 19 deaths reported.

In 2006, the National Weather Service recorded an average of 99 deaths a year for the past thirty years due to flash floods, which is higher than any other storm-related natural disaster.

The NWS provides safety information and resources about flash floods including guides describing prevention, mitigation, and warning signs. Most disasters start with heavy rainfall into rivers or mountains, causing mudslides and avalanches. More than half of the fatalities caused by flash floods are people in vehicles attempting to drive through rising water. The NWS advises people to immediately turn in the other direction if they see an imminent flood.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 11, 2010

Author and television personality Suze Orman recently survived an emergency appendectomy performed in Chicago, reports The Chicago Sun Times.

Orman, who celebrated her 59th birthday recently, was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, where the surgery was performed in the evening.

Her spokeswoman, Kristin Bouton, told the news outlet that Orman is recovering well in a Chicago hotel, and that she should be returning to her home in Florida within a few days.

According to the National Institute of Health, an emergency appendectomy is performed when symptoms of acute appendicitis appear, such as nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain on the lower right side, reduced appetite and fever. Individuals exhibiting these symptoms should see a medical professional who can determine if it is appendicitis and proceed with the proper course of treatment.

The organization says that recovery time for those who undergo the procedure tends to be quick. Most who have had their appendix removed stay in the hospital for one to three days, and then resume their normal activities one to the three weeks after the procedure. Recovery time may be slower for certain individuals, depending on what may have caused the appendicitis.

The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse reports that appendicitis is most common among individuals aged 10 to 30. It is also the leading cause of all emergency abdominal surgeries.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 11, 2010

Justin Miles had dreamed of travelling to the South Pole as a child, and after surviving a traumatic car accident that had left him unable to walk or talk, he is more motivated than ever to make his dream a reality, The Wiltshire Times reports.

Miles had been planning this adventure for the past 10 years as he recovered from the accident that left him pinned between two cars.

He explained to the news source that there were moments during his recovery where he would break down, not knowing if he would ever function normally again. There were times when he would try to walk, but would end up having to crawl because his legs could not function properly.

"I would try to speak and I would know what I wanted to say but couldn't get the words out. I broke down in tears because I was angry. I didn't know what was going on with my body," he told the news provider.

If Miles successfully completes his mission to the South Pole he will earn himself a spot in the record books.

The trauma experienced from a car crash can be intense, leaving many survivors frustrated and isolated as they try to get their lives back on track. It is not uncommon for crash survivors to experience severe depression and anxiety during their road to recovery.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that over 14 million Americans over the age of 18 suffer from a major depressive disorder.

The Mayo Clinic offers countless resources to individuals and their families to help battle depression and anxiety.

They maintain a list of symptoms of these conditions, as well as information on how to locate a mental health professional who would be able provide a proper course of treatment to help battle the disease.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 11, 2010

Anthony Deliso worked in financial services for 15 years before his stockbroking firm of Charles Schwab closed six years ago. However, he survived being unemployed by following his dream. He's now about to start his own chocolate making business, according to the NY Daily News.

When he was first laid off, Deliso had enough savings to last him a while. Always interested in food, he worked a $10-an-hour temp job for a chocolate shop, where he learned how to coat nuts in panning machines. He then enrolled in a culinary class in Chicago and traveled around the country to different candy conventions, seeing what made each business thrive.

"When I found myself unemployed, I wanted to do something I loved," he told the news source. He says that he always wanted tostart his own business and he especially liked cooking, so Deliso Confections was born.

The NY Daily News reports that the finance and banking industry has lost more than 37,000 jobs in the past three years.

The U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics has recorded an overall unemployment rate of 9.5 percent across the country. Today, the Wall Street Journal reports that the number of workers filing unemployment claims has fallen to the lowest level in 18 months, which is a hopeful sign for those who are looking for work.

There are many different resources for the unemployed, most of which can be found online. UnemploymentLifeline.com is a community resource for anyone who has recently lost a job but is seeking to thrive. The site offers information about health and child care, food, education, utilities, and much more.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 11, 2010

On Saturday night, Julie Felty thought that the tornado howling outside her Ohio home had finally passed, according to ABC. She turned off her TV and went to lie in bed, but the power suddenly went out and smoke began to pour through her house.

Felty told the news provider that it was like the smoke monster from "Lost" was coming through the wall. "I shut the door and held onto the doorknob," she says.

The experience turned out to be more like a horror movie than a television show. Things from all over Felty's house started flying at her and hitting her, as if the tornado had come into her home. Felty managed to survive while the wind tore her house down around her. Afterward, she dazedly walked through the rubble. She suffered from broken ribs, fractured vertebrae and cuts that needed to be stitched.

Still, Felty rejoiced just to have made it through the night. "I feel very blessed to be here," she told then news source.

According to the Associated Press, tornadoes reaching 175 mph traveled across much of the Midwest this past weekend, causing chaos in small towns and damaging around 100 homes.

FEMA.gov, the website of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is an excellent resource for those who have been affected by the damage caused by natural disasters.

The Survivor's Club also has a support center for tornado victims and a guide to dealing with tornadoes in the future.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 11, 2010

Eighteen-year old Hannah Mayo was on her boogie board just off the coast of a Jacksonville beach when a shark floated up beside her and chomped down on both her leg and foot, reported the Gwinett Daily Post.

Her boyfriend, Rick Hughes, immediately ran to her aid and pulled her to shore, calling for lifeguards. The bite measured 12 inches in radius and required 29 stitches in all.

According to the news source, Mayo's mother, Kitty Mayo-Foster, said that hospital staff told her that Mayo was lucky to not have lost her foot, because of the way it was positioned on the boogie board.

Only several hours later, Mayo was already laughing about surviving the shark attack and telling people that she was "done with the ocean," due to this encounter and another unpleasant experience with a Portuguese man-of-war when she was nine.

University of Florida findings claim that 100 people have been subject to a shark attack in the U.S from 1916 to 2008, with 12 of the attacks resulting in death. Experts from the university advise swimmers to avoid night swimming, swimming away from the shore, or swimming alone to reduce the risk of an attack.

Someone who is bleeding shouldn't swim in shark-populated areas at all and the university researchers say that jewelry or too much splashing can also attract predators.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 11, 2010

Things were looking grim yesterday when all communication was lost with Abby Sunderland, the 16-year old Californian sailor.

Sunderland initially set off on a sea voyage on January 23rd with the goal of being youngest person to sail unassisted across the world.

In May, she finished the sail around the cape of Africa, a region infamous for its winds and waves. She was the youngest person to circumnavigate the waters there, but her boat's main autopilot suffered irreparable damage, according to the Huffington Post.

Yesterday, Sunderland's boat sent out an emergency distress signal from the tumultuous Indian Ocean and the connection with her satellite phone was also lost, reports the news source. "I've been in some rough weather for awhile with winds steady at 40-45 knots with higher gusts," she wrote in her log on Wednesday.

Luckily, Sunderland was found today by searchers on an airbus A330. The mast had snapped off her boat, but the stoic young sailor was unharmed.

The United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 3,443 accidental drownings in 2007, with an additional 496 boat-related fatalities.

According to the CDC website, the Coast Guard received reports of 4,789 boating incidents, with 709 relating in death. Nine out of 10 people who drowned weren't wearing life jackets.

By The Survivors Club Staff
June 10, 2010

Drummer and burn survivor Dan Caro helps and inspires other burn victims

At the age of two, 70 percent of Dan Caro's body was burned by the explosion of a water heater. Now, Caro is visiting Washington's Very Special Arts Society on June 17th to support the local non-profit organization, the HandReach Children's Healing Initiative.

Caro's biography on HayHouse.com explains that he grew up amid the New Orleans jazz scene and, despite being robbed of his hands by fire, he still fought to become a professional drummer. Now, not only is Caro a drummer, he is also a motivational speaker and a writer.

He has written a book about his experiences called "The Gift of Fire: How I Made Adversity Work for Me."

Executive director of HandReach, Dr Brecken Chinn Swartz, told the news source that "drumming together takes us out of our eyes and more fully into our bodies to experience a powerful space of healing and acceptance."

This year, the organization is planning a summer camp for burn-injured children in China.

HandReach.org states that the organization's goal is to make sure children aren't held back by traumas such as amputations or burns, enabling even the most disadvantaged children to access the necessary resources for their futures.

According to the American Burn Association, about 500,000 people a year require treatment for burn injuries in the United States alone. The HandReach Children's Healing Initiative and the American Burn Association aid burn victims in leading full lives. Both accept donations.