Lauren Fritsky, Lemondrop

Jenni Prokopy looks the picture of health with her wavy red hair and bright smile. But since age 25, she's battled fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder.

Instead of letting her poor health get the best of her, Prokopy decided to start an online community for other women with chronic illnesses called ChronicBabe.com in 2005.

Why We Love Her: Prokopy, now 37, has a super-positive attitude despite being in pain much of the time.

After her fibromyalgia diagnosis, she also developed asthma, anxiety, Raynaud's phenomenon (a condition in which cold temperatures or strong emotions cause blood vessel spasms that block blood flow) and gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. But with help from her family, friends and doctors, she's learned to manage her conditions and focus instead on the positive. She writes on her Web site, "I am not my chronic stuff. I am a young, creative, passionate, generous, driven woman. I'm a Babe."

Quote: "When I was first diagnosed, I never thought something good could come from having fibromyalgia," Prokopy told Lemondrop. "But I turned that experience into ChronicBabe.com, and it's a true honor to help other young women learn to live better lives in spite of chronic illness. Speaking to them at live events, writing articles I know they'll save for years, or reading their heartfelt email responses -- it all helps me, too, so I'm ultra-spoiled. I get to do work I love that helps people. It's more than I ever thought possible, and it wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gotten sick. Life is full of surprises!"

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