Elise's diagnosis with papillary thyroid cancer encouraged her to go for what she really wanted, a PhD.  She left her job at a Veterinary Technician and is now a PhD student in computational neuroscience at the University of Chicago.  She inspires others with her laughter and her attitude as a peer counselor for the Thyroid Cancer Survivors' Association.  She encourages other cancer survivors to use their diagnosis to help them "to quit talking about things and go do them."