As a nurse of 46 years and a wife, mother and grandmother, Mary Ann Haley had spent most of her life caring for others. It was difficult, she said, when the roles were switched while she battled salmonella poisoning, breast cancer and blood clots – all in one year.

&#8220Because I’d always taken care of everybody else it was hard,” said Haley, who will celebrate her 67th birthday May 27. &#8220Without my faith in God and my family and friends, I would have never made it through.”

But she did, and Monday the Vicksburg resident will celebrate six years of being cancer-free. Her personal story is published on the Web site, www.standstrong.com.

The site was launched in November by Mission Pharmacal, the maker of the over-the-counter calcium supplement Citracal, and includes stories about strong women from across the nation.

Travis Lippert of Mission Pharmacal said, since November, the company has selected 105 women from more than 1,000 entries to appear on the Web site.

&#8220We’re looking for stories about everyday people who stand strong,” Lippert said. &#8220We have some remarkable stories. The stories we receive are about survivors.”

Haley was chosen, Lippert said, after one of her daughters submitted her story.

&#8220She’s a wonderful woman, and she has a wonderful story,” Lippert said. &#8220She worked hard her whole life. She had cancer, lost her strength, got her strength back and beat it. That’s as strong as you can get.”

Haley was surprised and honored. &#8220I told them it was the best Mother’s Day present.”

Haley’s health began to deteriorate in January 2000 when she was in a car wreck. After that, she got salmonella poisoning. A few months later, her doctor did a mammogram. The results showed Haley had breast cancer. She was forced to quit working.

Until she got sick, the Shaw native had worked in various nursing positions in the Vicksburg area since graduating from Mercy School of Nursing in 1960. She worked at Vicksburg Medical Center from 1966 to 1991 and was a home-health nurse until 2000.

&#8220After my surgery (to remove the cancer) I was doing OK. Then on Christmas Eve 2000, I was diagnosed with blood clots,” Haley said. &#8220It was a rude awakening to go from feeling great to all this.”

&#8220She’s pretty tough, but that about did her in,” said Haley’s daughter Debra Landers, who submitted her mother’s story to Stand Strong.

Landers heard about the Web site while listening to Paul Harvey’s radio program.

&#8220He was advertising it, and he said if you know about a special woman that’s strong, go to Stand Strong and tell the story,” Landers said. &#8220She’s tough as nails. All she does is think of others. I’m not my mother. I wish I was, but I’m not. She’s just a special woman.”

Haley’s other daughter, Angela Davis, agreed.

&#8220She just bounces back,” she said. &#8220She never got down.”

As proof of her rock-solid constitution, in 2001 Haley was right back in her role as her family’s caretaker. She was there for her husband, Charles, when he broke his hip, and then she looked after her ill parents.

&#8220She’s the rock in our family,” Landers said.

Haley went back to work in 2005. She is the patient-care coordinator for Gilbert’s Home Health and Hospice.

&#8220I just came in and put my knowledge from out there in here,” Haley said. &#8220It has been good.”

ON THE WEB.

To read Mary Ann Haley’s story or to make a nomination, go to Citracal’s Stand Strong Web site, www.standstrong.com