“When I was diagnosed with cancer, I didn’t share [the diagnosis] with anyone. I was in denial; I didn’t want to accept that I had cancer,” said Maria Rayo. What should have been the happiest time of the year, quickly took a turn for the worse when Maria was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer on October 22. On Christmas day, as her family gathered around the kitchen table to partake in the holiday’s festivities, Maria made her way to the sofa feeling afraid and alone. “My family was eating, and I was sitting there pretending to watch television. Instead,” she recalled, “I began to cry.” After the paralyzing shock wore off and Maria opened up to her family, she found that the love and support that she desperately needed was right there. That was the turning point for Maria. At that moment, she began to believe that everything would be OK. At the start of the new year, Maria underwent treatment and received her mastectomy followed by six rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Maria has been remission for nearly three years. Her advice to others who are undergoing treatment is to “have patience and total faith...” .