Sonja Christopher

Sonja Christopher was an excellent choice for the cast of the first season of CBS's television phenomenon "Survivor." She had survived breast cancer, a brain tumor, a divorce and was a successful single parent. When she joined the show, this actress, singer and music therapist challenged herself to present a positive image of aging with grace and vitality, which she accomplished, despite being the first "voted off" the Island of Pulau Tiga.

When Christopher was diagnosed with cancer in 1997 she felt shock and disbelief, having had no family history or risk factors associated with the disease. She educated herself on the subject of breast cancer and also paid special attention to healthy eating and regular exercising. After her cancer diagnosis and abandonment by a long-term partner during treatment, Christopher had to totally redefine her life. She learned to reach out to friends and got involved with support groups. She has found a renewed passion for life in other pursuits, one of which was a Breast Cancer Survivor Adventure Camp in Southern California. Camp counselors declared her "fearless" after she successfully rappelled down a 50-foot cliff and mastered steep terrain on a mountain bike. It also gave her incentive to be one of the more than 6,100 applicants for CBS' "Survivor." She accepted the challenge in part to become a role model for other seniors looking for positive new images of aging.

Christopher now finds that her celebrity status enables her to raise awareness for breast cancer research and treatment. She is widely sought after to lend her voice to the battle against cancer. She was selected as one of six breast cancer survivors treated at Mt. Diablo's Regional Cancer Center to be honored by the Mt. Diablo Hospital Foundation and Walnut Creek Macy's Community Partners event.

As an actress, Christopher has appeared in community theatre, in plays ranging from Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" to musicals such as "Oklahoma," "Carousel," and "The Music Man." She received the Willie Award for Best Actress in 1997 for her portrayal of Mama in the Willow's Theatre production of "I Remember Mama" and has received Shellie Award nominations for performances with area theatre companies. Christopher currently sings and plays her banjo for sing-alongs at Alzheimer's centers.