It has been named the Big C and so many more. It's a disease that can change the faith of those faithful and take away the little hope of those hopeless. It's an affliction that does not discriminate and can care less for the person's status in life. It's a disease that the world is trying to understand. It's cancer. To put it another way, cancer is an illness caused by a tumor. anyone can have cancer. Even the famous and spectacular celebs go through the ins and outs of cancer. Here are four of courageous and well known celebs that found out they had the Big C. All of these celebrities came forward in the open and gave it their all while battling the ferocious disease.

Christina Applegate is a very talented Hollywood actress that played the part of Kelly Bundy on the popular show: Married With Children and now as Samantha Newly on the show, Samantha Who. In August, 2008, reports that Christina have breast cancer are released in every medium known to man. Applegate's spokesperson confirmed the reports that she is diagnosed with breast cancer. The positive thing with the diagnosis is that it was caught in the beginning stage. The cancer cells were found on just one of her breasts but Applegate decided to have a double mastectomy operation within the same month. Applegate's mom is a cancer survivor so her cancer is hugely on the hereditary side, she thought to act upon the possible threat as soon as she could. Christina is now doing great and will have reconstructive surgery very shorty.

Praised as one of the greatest female pop singers, Sheryl Crow is also a songwriter, political activist and has nine Grammy Awards under her belt. The singer was found out she had breast cancer in 2006. As with Christina Applegate, the cancer was caught early. The performer had a lumpectomy, which is a procedure to remove the tumor in the breast. Crow also had radiation treatment for almost two months after the surgery. Sheryl has been cancer free since the operation and is happily on her second year as a cancer survivor.

Named Francine Joy Drescher, Fran is famously recognized all over as Fran Fine from her TV series, The Nanny. In 2000, The actress was rushed to the hospital because of uterine cancer, a kind of cancer where the tumor attacks the uterus of an individual. Her cancer, luckily, was still in its early phase when the surgery to take out the tumor was made thus she didn't go along with chemotherapy or radiation treatment. After seven years of being no longer with cancer, the popular star started an organization to help others who are suffering with cancer. The name of the organization is Cancer Schmancer Movement.

The charming and famous Patrick Swayze... Dudes envied his scene with Demi Moore in the movie, Ghost, and ladies went numb with his dancing moves in Dirty Dancing. No one can say that they don't know Patrick Swayze. He is now battling pancreatic cancer. He has been given chemotherapy and a surgery to remove soiled areas of his stomach. His struggle is long from being over but he's still out there winning the fight. He recently gave a heartfelt talk at the Stand Up To Cancer 2008 event.