7 Inspiring Women Who Have Overcome Obstacles

Jessica Long is a Paralympic athlete who lost both legs to fibular hemimelia at just 18 months old. Her love of swimming led her to victory in international competitions where she has held world records in several events in her class. Not only has she won multiple gold medals, but she also won three ESPY Awards.

The Academy Award-winning actress is both the only deaf performer to win the award and, at 21, the youngest to date. She has been in the entertainment industry since age 7 and has appeared in an array of movies, TV shows, and Broadway productions.

Giuliana Rancic is well-known for hosting several E! series, including E! News, Fashion Police, and Live From the Red Carpet. In 2011 she announced that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and decided to undergo a double mastectomy. Giuliana and her husband, Bill, welcomed their son via gestational carrier the following year.

Melissa is a US Army veteran who lost her left leg in combat. After returning home, she became the first Iraq war veteran to compete in the Paralympics. She has participated in both swimming and triathlon competitions and is a world champion in the women's TRI-2 (above-knee amputee) class.

The journalist and blogger lost her left eye and hand in 2011 after being struck by a spinning airplane propeller. She has since gone on to build her fashion career and married TV personality Jason Kennedy in 2014.

Bethany Hamilton is a professional surfer who miraculously survived a shark attack at age 13. The traumatizing experience didn't stop her from surfing and she continued to participate in various competitions around the world. In 2011, Soul Surfer, the film inspired by her story, premiered in theaters.

Fran Drescher is best known for playing the beloved housekeeper on the '90s TV series The Nanny. After battling uterine cancer in 2000, she wrote a book to raise awareness for both men and women about the importance of recognizing the early stages of cancer. She was presented with the City of Hope Spirit of Life Award by Hillary Clinton in 2006.

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