New Jersey’s EAKFEST is one-part haunted wooded trail, one-part fall festival, and one-part cystic fibrosis fundraiser.

“This all stemmed from seeing the therapy dog at the hospital and believing I could make a difference, especially after the situation I went through,” says Kelli Coppinger about her dog, Bandit, becoming a therapy dog.

Chef Ryan Callahan has released his latest book, Cooking for Kids with Cancer, as a way to help families deal with flavor and diet changes and empowering them to take control back in their lives through cooking.

Breast cancer survivor Mary Ficco used Facebook as a way to detail her cancer experience, serving as an advocate to other women about the importance of health screenings and showing empowerment in the face of treatment.

During the time Chef Ryan Callahan served as his mom’s caregiver, he helped her appreciate the taste of food again, and, in the process, learned that he had the makings of a cookbook that addressed an often overlooked side effect.