[Editor's Note: Laurie's post touches on a lot of different aspects of battling cancer -- a positive outlook can only do so much, and in the end sometimes it comes down to "you get cancer and die", it's not about losing a battle and it's not something that can be changed by smiling a little more or fighting a little harder. I look forward to your thoughts on Laurie's post. - Denise]

In many ways, cancer is a crap shoot. It helps to have excellent medical care, good nutrition and the resources that help you cope with the disease and the treatments' side effects. But luck plays a big role in survival as well.

Read more from smiling can't cheat death at not just about cancer