The Survivors Club mourns the loss of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, who died of cardiac arrest today at the age of 50, according to news services.  The Survivors Club also bids farewell to Farrah Fawcett, the "Charlie's Angels" star who died today after battling anal cancer.  She was 62.

Details are sketchy about Jackson's death.  News outlets report that he was rushed to the hospital after paramedics found him unconscious and not breathing.

One thing is for sure: Survivorship isn't about living forever.  It's about living fully with the precious time you have left whether that's four months, four years or forty years.  Indeed, some of the world's most effective survivors ultimately succumb to their challenges.  Farrah Fawcett is a shining example of survivorship - living fully no matter the adversity.

Ryan O'Neal, Fawcett's longtime companion, was at her side when she died, along with close friend Alana Stewart.  The TV star - famous for posing in a red bathing suit for an iconic poster - died shortly before 9:30 a.m. in a Santa Monica hospital.

"After a long and brave battle with cancer, our beloved Farrah has passed away," O'Neal said. "Although this is an extremely difficult time for her family and friends, we take comfort in the beautiful times that we shared with Farrah over the years and the knowledge that her life brought joy to so many people around the world."

Fawcett was diagnosed with anal cancer in 2006. As she underwent treatment, she enlisted the help of O'Neal, who was the father of her now 24-year-old son, Redmond.  This month, O'Neal said he asked Fawcett to marry him and she agreed, but they were unable to wed before she died.

In September 2006, Fawcett, who at 59 still maintained a strict regimen of tennis and paddleball, began to feel strangely exhausted. She underwent two weeks of tests and was told the devastating news: She had anal cancer.

O'Neal, with whom she had a 17-year relationship, again became her constant companion, escorting her to the hospital for chemotherapy.

"She's so strong," the actor told a reporter. "I love her. I love her all over again."

"I do not want to die of this disease. So I say to God, `It is seriously time for a miracle,'" Fawcett said at one point.

The following information about cardiac arrest comes from the American Heart Association:

What is cardiac arrest?

Cardiac arrest is the sudden, abrupt loss of heart function. The victim may or may not have diagnosed heart disease. It's also called sudden cardiac arrest or unexpected cardiac arrest. Sudden death (also called sudden cardiac death) occurs within minutes after symptoms appear.

What causes cardiac arrest?

The most common underlying reason for patients to die suddenly from cardiac arrest is coronary heart disease. Most cardiac arrests that lead to sudden death occur when the electrical impulses in the diseased heart become rapid (ventricular tachycardia) or chaotic (ventricular fibrillation) or both. This irregular heart rhythm (arrhythmia) causes the heart to suddenly stop beating. Some cardiac arrests are due to extreme slowing of the heart. This is called bradycardia.

Other factors besides heart disease and heart attack can cause cardiac arrest. They include respiratory arrest, electrocution, drowning, choking and trauma. Cardiac arrest can also occur without any known cause.

Can cardiac arrest be reversed?

Brain death and permanent death start to occur in just 4 to 6 minutes after someone experiences cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest can be reversed if it's treated within a few minutes with an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal heartbeat. This process is called defibrillation. A victim's chances of survival are reduced by 7 to 10 percent with every minute that passes without CPR and defibrillation. Few attempts at resuscitation succeed after 10 minutes.

How many people survive cardiac arrest?

No statistics are available for the exact number of cardiac arrests that occur each year. It's estimated that more than 95 percent of cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital. In cities where defibrillation is provided within 5 to 7 minutes, the survival rate from sudden cardiac arrest is as high as 30–45 percent.

What can be done to increase the survival rate?

Early CPR and rapid defibrillation combined with early advanced care can result in high long-term survival rates for witnessed cardiac arrest. For instance, in June 1999, automated external defibrillators (AEDs) were mounted 1 minute apart in plain view at Chicago's O'Hare and Midway airports. In the first 10 months, 14 cardiac arrests occurred, with 12 of the 14 victims in ventricular fibrillation. Nine of the 14 victims (64 percent) were revived with an AED and had no brain damage.

If bystander CPR was initiated more consistently, if AEDs were more widely available, and if every community could achieve a 20 percent cardiac arrest survival rate, an estimated 40,000 more lives could be saved each year. Death from sudden cardiac arrest is not inevitable. If more people react quickly by calling 9-1-1 and performing CPR, more lives can be saved.

Click Here to Calculate Your Heart Attack Risk.

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What Is Anal Cancer?

Anal cancer is a rare malignancy that starts in the anus , according to the American Cancer Society, which estimated that 5,070 new cases occurred last year in the U.S. and 680 people died from the disease. 

When detected early, anal cancer is treatable.  The overall five-year survival rate, according to the Cancer Society, is 60% for men and 71% for women.  When found in the earliest stage, five-year survival is 82%. If it has spread, five-year survival is 60%. And when it has spread to distant organs, about one in five patients lives for five years or more.

Saslow says if the reports that Fawcett's cancer has spread to her liver are true, the actress would have stage IV cancer, which has a five-year survival rate of 19%.

Who Gets Anal Cancer?

Most anal cancers are diagnosed in people who are between 50 and 80. Before age 50, anal cancer is more common in men, but after age 50 it is slightly more common in women, Saslow says.

Anal infection with human papillomavirus is a major risk factor for the cancer.  According to the Cancer Society, 85% of anal cancers are associated with persistent infection with the sexually transmitted virus.

According to both the Cancer Society, other risk factors for anal cancer include being over 50 years old, having many sexual partners, having receptive anal intercourse, having a weakened immune system, frequent anal redness and soreness, and being a smoker.

What Are the Symptoms

In some cases, there are no symptoms associated with anal cancer, but in about half of patients bleeding occurs and is often the first sign of the disease, according to the Cancer Society.

Can Anal Cancer Be Prevented?

Since some people with anal cancer have no known risk factors, the Cancer Society says "there is no way to completely prevent this disease." The best way to reduce the risk of anal cancer is to avoid HPV infection. While condoms (rubbers) can protect against HIV, recent research has shown that they do not totally protect against HPV. That is because this virus can be spread by skin contact from areas that are not covered by the condom.

For more information about surviving and thriving in the face of all kinds of health challenges, please visit The Survivors Club Health Support Center.

A new vaccine has been approved by the FDA that protects against some types of HPV. Right now it is recommended for use in young females (before they start having sex). It is being looked at for possible use in males. The hope is that it could help prevent cancers (such as anal cancer) that are linked to HPV.

Stopping smoking also lowers the risk of many types of cancer, including anal cancer.

For more information about surviving and thriving with cancer, please visit The Survivors Club Health Support Center.