Kay Yow is one of my heroes. As the head basketball coach for the NC State women's team, she is taking her team to the Sweet 16 this weekend despite undergoing chemo and biologic treatments for advanced breast cancer. This woman had the choice of giving up and waiting to die, or fighting on and teaching young women about the power of faith and perserverence. Last fall you might have told her to stop living because she'd be dead in a year. But she looked at that year and said, I might as well have something to show for it. I'll chose the fighting spirits of the Kay Yows (and yes, Elizabeth Edwards) any day over the folks who believe that all is lost from the moment they hear the diagnosis.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/sports/ncaabasketball/18yow.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
The steps can be done in five minutes if you are strong and decide to live, denial isn't about giving up its denying you have the disease. Anger is the it isn't fair stage, acceptance isn't giving up its fighting in an informed and enlightened way.