Lourdes Castro, professor, author and chef, has a profound understanding of superb food and energetic flavor combinations, which embraces taste and health. Her comprehension of dishes, such as Smoked Paprika Crusted Shrimp, Avocado Tomatillo Mousse and Braised Chipotle Chicken, is heightened by an unyielding commitment to nutrition, freshness and zest.

Lizzie Velasquez battles a rare congenital disease that impedes her from accumulating body fat. The condition led to countless doctors’ visits and cyber-bullying to the extreme where one stranger called her “the world’s ugliest woman” on YouTube.

Allisa Miller was 29 years old when she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Then the mother of a 2-year-old daughter, Miller was determined to fight the disease. She came to City of Hope soon after her diagnosis, receiving the institution’s unique blend of patient-focused care and leading-edge treatment. Today, Miller is in remission and will soon be participating in City of Hope’s Walk for Hope on Nov. 8, 2015.

Emily Taylor was 28 years old and about to celebrate two years of marriage with Miles, her college sweetheart, when a wheeze brought her to a doctor's office. A former athlete who had never smoked, Taylor was stunned when a scan revealed she had Stage 4 lung cancer. She shared the story of her treatment, and its end, in an earlier Breakthroughs post.

When she was younger, before the kids came along, Cindy Howard was a savvy, enthusiastic traveler. She would skip from one exotic locale to another, spending months at a time away from home and loving every minute of it.