"You don't worry about arguing with your husband or worrying about if the house is clean or all sorts, of things that people worry about. I don't care about my birthday. It's truly a celebration to live another year. I think of it as a bonus every year I live,” said Karen Desjardins.

A gal who loves the outdoors so much she got married on Earth Day. Eager to have babies she was soon pregnant.

"I was 35 when I got pregnant and had a miscarriage and lost the baby at 11.5 weeks. I was devastated," said Desjardins.

There was more bad news. Soon after the miscarriage she was diagnosed with breast cancer and told she should never get pregnant. After recovering from breast cancer they tried and failed to adopt a little boy from Brazil. Then they opted for a Chinese baby girl and again, more bad news. They had to take their name off the list as three months before they were to get their baby she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Eighteen inches of her colon was removed and 36 treatments of intense chemotherapy.

Woman survives several cancers

According to reports, one out of three people are diagnosed with cancer. Life after cancer brings new meaning to dreams and journeys.

She did it and a year later, she was stronger than ever.

"I climbed more mountains. I rode my bike more. The adoption agency said, you are in the second stage colon, if you go a couple of years and you are alright you can come back and apply again. You are kidding me? After two cancers? Yeah. So again we did the papers,” Desjardins said. "This time we got a baby, Laura Joy. Joy for being alive. I had to urinate all the time. I felt very bloated."

Her symptoms were slight but it was cancer number three. This time it was ovarian.

"I had bilateral tumors on each ovary. One the size of a grape fruit the other the size of a baseball. Wham," Desjardins said. "So I had to call the agency again. They think I have ovarian cancer. Take me off the flight list."

No baby and more surgery, this time a total hysterectomy and more chemo. The chemo killed the cancer but not for long. She had a reoccurrence, a cancerous tumor was found in her groin. It's now been three years and she's clear, but, still no baby but also, no cancer. She may not have her own child, but she's created her own family. She's a Girl Scout leader.

"They are not my kids but I am making difference in their life. It is fun. I get to do crafts. I go on outings, camping, all the things I hope to do with my children I am doing with the kids,” Desjardins said.

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., even thousand Karen's future is uncertain, what is certain is the strength in her spirit.

"No matter what happens to your body, your spirit is with you and you just keeping working on that part, the inside. Don't worry about the outside, just, it is just a structure," said Desjardins.