After being diagnosed with cancer for the second time, Lisa Ross felt like she didn't have the strength to carry on. But her horse Rio helped her find the will Ross needed to become cancer free.

Ross' first thyroid cancer diagnosis came in 2005, five years after she adopted Rio. After fighting hard and receiving treatment, the Elizabeth resident was cancer free. But three years later, shortly after the passing of her father, she was informed that the cancer had returned and was now in her chest.

“I was supposed to go in for my screening, but put it off because of my father's passing and I felt fine,” she said. “But then my blood work came back and showed that the cancer had come back and was now in all my lymph nodes in my chest.”

Hearing the news was discouraging, and Ross didn't know if she could fight the cancer for a second time. She said at the time she had given up, but her horse Rio had not.

“After I found out about the cancer I slept in the barn with Rio,” she said. “And all night long he just kept nudging me. It was like he was telling me to keep going and to fight back. I was crying all night, and I looked up at him and at that point I knew I had to keep going for him.”

Ross and Rio don't have the typical pet-owner relationship, it is much more, enough to keep Ross alive.

Since the moment Ross laid eyes on Rio she felt a connection and instantly fell in love. Ross said her relationship with Rio is unlike any other relationship she has had with an animal. She feels unconditional love from Rio and considers him one of her children.

“He reads my mind,” Ross said. “It's unbelievable the connection we have.”

Ross had surgery to remove the cancerous lymph nodes and received treatment. She has been cancer free for two years. After years of battling cancer, Ross decided to share her story in the Bayer Animal Health’s “Enjoy the Ride” essay competition in December 2009. She wrote a 150-word essay describing her love for her horse and how her horse returns that love. In June, Ross was chosen as the “Legend Enjoy the Ride” essay winner and received a $5,000 prize package.

She initially was hesitant to submit the article but realized the importance of sharing her story with others.

“Having an animal that needed me is what got me out of bed when I was fighting cancer,” she said. “The unconditional love is how you get through and you should never take advantage of that love.”