A woman who has spent years bringing smiles to sick children's faces is fighting her own battle with cancer.

News 12 Long Island first met Melissa Ray last year at Camp Adventure in Shelter Island, where she has mentored children fighting cancer for more than 20 years. She says she thought she knew everything about cancer until she too was diagnosed this September with the deadly disease.

Since then, the Copiague resident has received constant visits and get well wishes from her Camp Adventure family. Young cancer survivors say they have made it their mission to inspire Ray to keep going, as she has inspired them in the past.

Doctors say Ray needs a bone marrow transplant to survive. While she waits at home for the phone call about a perfect marrow match, she is writing letters to her leukemia, telling it how the fight of her life is making her a stronger, better person.

Ray plans to fill the next chapters in her cancer battle with positive notes and a happy ending.