Famous Survivor: Herman Cain

Herman Cain, WSB radio host, author, public speaker, and intelligent thinker, is also a colon cancer survivor.

According to Herman Cain's website, www.hermancain.com, Cain grew up in Georgia with wonderful parents and little else. Herman's father worked three jobs - a chauffeur, barber, and janitor - because he wanted his sons to have "a better start in life." As a result of his dad's encouragement, Herman earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree and has succeeded in the highest levels of corporate America.

As former Chairman and CEO of Godfather's Pizza, he turned around the failing company by providing focus and getting people personally engaged in the turnaround. For his efforts, Cain has been hailed by The Wall Street Journal and Business Week as a visionary leader.

Cain continued the responsibilities of President and Chairman of Godfather's Pizza while beginning a second career delivering national keynote speeches. Using his messages as the foundation, he created his own leadership consulting company, THE New Voice,Inc., which also offers books, DVDs, CDs of gospel music, and promotes his keynote speeches. He has authored several books on topics ranging from leadership to self-empowerment to politics including "Leadership is Common Sense", "CEO of Self", and "They Think You're Stupid".

In 1996, Cain served as CEO and President of the National Restaurant Association and has served on the Boards of Directors of AGCO Corporation, Aquila, Incorporated, Reader's Digest Association, Incorporated, Hallmark Cards, Incorporated, and Whirlpool Corporation. Additionally, he is a former Chairman and Member of The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.

In 2003, Cain announced his candidacy for the Republican nomination for United States Senate from GA. In 2006, Herman was diagnosed with colon cancer and was successfully treated with chemotherapy.

As of 2009, Cain continues to spread his messages of personal responsibility, limited government, and reaching the American Dream through his THE New Voice company, his WSB AM 750 radio show, as a FOX News business commentator, and through his new Intelligent Thinkers Movement.

Famous Survivor: Melissa Etheridge

In 1982 Melissa Etheridge moved from Leavenworth, Kansas to Los Angeles to begin her musical career. After a few years of playing small clubs, Etheridge was hired by A&M Records as a staff songwriter. In 1985 she sent her demo to Olivia Records, a lesbian record label, but was ultimately rejected. She saved the rejection letter, which was signed by "the women of Olivia" and was later featured in "Intimate Portrait", the Lifetime Television documentary on her life.

Etheridge has since released ten albums, several of which have gone multi-platinum, platinum, and gold.

In October 2004 at the age of 43, Etheridge was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent chemotherapy. She later went public with her fight against breast cancer by performing bald at the 2005 Grammy Awards. Her gutsy Grammy appearance paved the way for people to talk more openly about the disease.

Her fight against breast cancer also inspired the creation of the Pink Bracelet Fund http://www.pbfund.org/ which has raised over $200,000 for breast cancer research to date.

On November 15, 2005, Etheridge appeared on the Jay Leno show to perform her song, "I Run For Life" which references her own fight with breast cancer and her determination to overcome it, as well as encourages other survivors and their families. After the performance, Leno told her "Thanks for being a fighter, kiddo."