Paula Quinn didn’t know if she would ever ride horses again after treatment for her aggressive cancer damaged her heart and eventually caused her to require a transplant. But beautiful, magnificent creatures were an irresistible draw.

After a frightening diagnosis, Marty Button found hope at Mayo Clinic. Ten years later, she thanked her care team from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Serving in the U.S. Navy was a formative experience for Leonard A. Lauder. The former CEO of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. — and proud veteran — is helping fund cutting-edge Mayo Clinic research that could benefit his fellow veterans who were suffering from back pain and spinal cord injuries.

When Judy Alico passed away at age 51, her family was shell-shocked and heartbroken. Her husband, Bob, took action, forming a nonprofit to raise awareness and funding for Mayo Clinic and other organizations to study the condition that took Judy's life.

Michele Halyard, M.D., began her journey as a radiation oncologist at Mayo Clinic 36 years ago. Today, she is recognized as one of the most influential and impactful leaders in the movement toward health equity.

Lionel Kankeu Fonkoua, M.D., is an oncologist with Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center who specializes in the treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. He is leading a clinical trial focused on the immigrant African and Asian communities of Minnesota with a high prevalence of one type of liver cancer.

Black people in America are about twice as likely to get Alzheimer's disease and other memory loss disorders. To better understand why, Floyd B. Willis, M.D., is helping the Mayo Clinic Alzheimer's Disease Research Center recruit participants into research studies.

Alyx B. Porter, M.D., a neuro-oncologist at Mayo Clinic, is focused on inspiring and supporting future generations of physicians from historically underrepresented backgrounds, with scholarships, mentorship, leadership development and financial wellness education.