Alex George graduated with a degree in public policy thinking she would work in politics. Then she interned for a news station and changed course into journalism. But baking had always been a passion and something in the back of her mind. While working for a local station in Chattanooga, Tennessee she was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare bone cancer. She took a leave from the TV station and flew home to Philadelphia to start chemo treatments. 

"It was a tough time. But when you don't have a lot of energy, baking is a great hobby, especially when you have a family that's willing to help you do the clean-up and all of the mise en place — the preparation. Baking brought me joy and happiness, so I kept with it. I just baked and baked and brought it into the hospital. The nurses and doctors would eat my food."

While in treatment, she was fired from her job at the TV station. "I felt tears well up in my eyes, and all I remember saying out loud was, 'I'm still in treatment.' There was silence on the phone." Her health insurance was terminated as well, but her parents were able to help get her on COBRA to finish her treatments.

She landed on her feet with some freelance work at a local Philadelphia station. And at the same time, she was selling her baked goods. When a video she posted to social media where she tried to find the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe took off, she started getting partnership opportunities and other way to financially support herself with her baking.

"I'll never say I'm thankful for cancer, but it did open my eyes to how damn short life is and how little time you have to do exactly what you want to be doing. I'd rather be living this life than the life I was probably going to choose before my diagnosis."

Read more of George's story here.