A little crazy, a lot loud, always happy. That describes Renee. You will recognize her easily. She is the beautiful blond with the tattoos and piercings whose infectious laughter you can hear miles away. Diagnosed in 2000 at age 23 with Thyroid Cancer, she is a survivor of five recurrences and single mom of a six year old daughter. She teaches everybody that knows her about her motto: "Just keep swimming!"

Knowing Renee has taught me that we can all face life's challenges if we face it with humor and honesty.

How did you find out you had cancer?

During my second prenatal visit while pregnant with my daughter, my doctor found a lump in my neck. She sent me for an ultrasound and on February 4, 2000, I was told that I had cancer. It was papillary cancer of the thyroid. I know that now, but at the time I just heard -- Cancer.

Actress Catherine Bell, who may be best known for her role in the television series J.A.G., is a thyroid cancer survivor and celebrity spokesperson for The Thyroid Cancer Survivors Association, ThyCa. Bell is featured in ThyCa's Thyroid Cancer Awareness patient brochure, where she shares her own thyroid cancer survivor story and highlights the importance of learning about the disease and the resources available for thyroid cancer patients.

In 1989, Catherine Bell was diagnosed with thyroid cancer. As part of her treatment, she underwent surgery and makes no effort to hide the thyroidectomy scar at the base of her neck. Bell is quoted as saying, "I think it's kinda cool. I'm living proof that early detection and treatment work." In addition, Bell has made no effort to conceal the fact that she is a Scientologist. As Mary Shomon, About.com thyroid guide points out, "a group that is actively fighting against key sectors of the medical community, namely the mental health and psychiatry community."

My understanding into the philosophy and beliefs of Scientologists regarding the medical community's use of prescription drugs begin and end with Tom Cruise's rather passionate outburst during his interview with Matt Lauer last year over the discussion of psychiatry, and Cruise's public attack of Brooke Shields for taking antidepressants for postpartum depression. Shomon, who presents her concerns in much more depth than I do for her here, raises questions over the vision of the thyroid organization's choice of celebrity spokesperson. To date, ThyCa has refused to answer Shoman's requests for a comment on this issue, and concludes by saying, "This leaves me to assume that ThyCa is hoping that no one besides me notices that one of the nation's most prominent Scientologists is on the cover of their patient brochure." Do you think it matters that Bell, as a thyroid cancer survivor chosen as a spokesperson for a thyroid cancer organization, is also a Scientologist?

Stephanie Seguin is a thyroid cancer survivor, and The Adventures of Follicular Cancer Lady - diary of an impatient patient - started as a way for her friends and family to share in all of her thyroid cancer adventures. 23 chapters and 23 webpages later, and it becomes very clear, she is one funny lady. No, I take that back. In chapter one, where her adventures begin, a long time ago in a waiting room far, far away, it becomes clear, she is one funny lady.

If 23 chapters of an online book were not enough, she promises to offer merchandise that includes the action figures of Follicular Cancer Lady, complete with radio-iodizer gun, backless hospital gown, IV cart and bendy straws. Hospital bedmobile sold separately. Lord Endocron comes with bottle of Synthroid and hormone ray gun. 5 inch stack of bills sold separately (call your insurance provider again for details) and a Waiting Room play set.

A portable battery-charged gamma-ray camera, able to take high-precision digital pictures of tumors, will allow medical technicians and surgeons to see breast cancer, prostate cancer, thyroid cancer and lymphomas tumors much earlier than they can with current diagnostic instruments. Researchers indicate the camera will eliminate the need for major surgery in early-stage cancers as the camera can be used as a guide in less invasive operations. In addition, the new camera can replace traditional equipment that is more expensive and takes up a lot of room.