Blog Posts by Sarah B. Weir, Yahoo! blogger

Maggie Machado

Maggie Machado is Women Who Shine's winner in the athlete category. The 29-year-old works as a behavior specialist in Turlock, California.

Hero: My hero is my dad because he taught me the value of working hard and never giving up. During his short time on this Earth, he taught me a lot, and I believe I get my drive from him.

Goal: Keep fitness a priority during my entire life.

Dream: I hope to impact as many children with autism as I can. I also dream of travelling the world with my husband.

Congratulations, Maggie!

Christine Zink

Christine Zink, 37, is a passionate advocate for children who suffer from Epidermis Bullosa (EB), a rare but devastating and painful disease. She's also a photographer and mom of three. You can see Zink's work and learn more about EB on her blog, This Little Light.

Hometown: Melrose, Minnesota

Hero: Dr. Jakub Tolar is one of the most inspiring people I have ever encountered. He is currently conducting groundbreaking research to help find a cure for EB. Dr. Tolar is continuously striving to make life better for kids with EB despite the challenges and setbacks. I admire him on so many levels, and I am so honored to be able to support him in various ways. He is providing hope where there once was none...hope is a beautiful gift.

Inspiration: I am constantly inspired by the people I advocate for, those living with the daily challenges and pain of EB as well as their parents and caregivers. They have tremendous courage, strength and fortitude; they persevere more than most of

Amee Cantagallo

Women Who Shine's top entrepreneur is Amee Cantagallo, 38, owner of Madam Deals an online discount shopping and coupon website.

Hometown: Palmyra, Virginia

Hero: Wonder woman. It takes a super hero to be a mom, wife, and business owner. I feel like I save the world everyday.

Inspiration: I am inspired by the educators of America. It is our teachers who create every job.

Goal: I try be a better person each day. I also want to teach people how to save more in order to have money for their dreams. I try to inspire others to pay it forward by being an example in my business network, community, and home.

Dream: I hope to teach my children to be an independent people who believe in themselves. I hope to inspire others to appreciate their strengths and accept their faults.

Congratulations, Amee!

Jennifer Price

Women Who Shine's winner in the teaching category is Jennifer Price, a high school principal from Newton, Massachusetts.

Hero: Eleanor Roosevelt. She was a strong woman who knew what she believed and was not afraid to stand up for her beliefs.

Inspiration: Kids, particularly kids who have a tougher road in life.

Goal: To create a school where all students have equal access to an excellent education, with a clear understanding that equal does not necessarily mean the same.

Dream: To create a public school system in our nation where all students have equal access to an excellent education regardless of where they live.
Congratulations, Jennifer!

'Brain On Fire' In 2009, a rare autoimmune disease grabbed writer Susannah Cahalan and plunged her into a nightmare world of paranoia, psychosis, and ultimately, catatonia. In another era, it’s likely she would have been permanently institutionalized or given a lobotomy; in another culture, she might have been exorcised for demonic possession.

Yahoo Health: Autoimmune Disease

With taut, horror-movie plotting, Cahalan’s new memoir, ‘Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness’ pieces together her utter physical and mental breakdown, her terrifying lost month in the hospital, and the grueling year it took to recover.

Related: Homes Featured in Amityville Horror for Sale

Before she mysteriously contracted the disease, Cahalan was a bright, outgoing, and ambitious 24-year-old reporter for the New York Post. After exhibiting flu-like symptoms that were initially diagnosed as mono, she suddenly began experiencing delusions and behaving erratically. Within a few weeks, she became increasingly abusive, moody, and

Women Who Shine winner Mariah VitoriaMariah Vitoria says there are more cows than people in her tiny town of Hillmark, which is nestled in California's agricultural Central Valley. "Everyone is very close, I love the town and people are generous," she tells Shine. "Everyone comes together during hard times." She plans on saving the money she won, and one day purchasing a home close to her parents. Her mom cleans the local post office, and her dad drives a truck for one of the many dairies that dot the region.

See: All the Women Who Shine Nominees

Vitoria, 19, got started volunteering though her church and then her high school service group. Now a college freshman at California State University Stanislaus, she racked up hundreds of hours of service before she graduated last June. She's currently studying business and working in the dean's office, and hopes to eventually start her own charity to fight hunger in America. One of her cherished annual traditions is serving hot meals at the Salvation Army on Christmas

Heidi Klum, 39, is currently appearing bare faced in a campaign for the British charity BBC Children in Need and causing some bloggers across the pond and stateside to get their knickers in a twist. The British tabloid The Daily Mail says she is "unrecognizable" and calls the unvarnished image "brave." But, it's hard to see what's so courageous about a gorgeous Amazon with perfect bone structure and porcelain skin appearing au natural (save the charity's logo on her cheek). The Huffington Post says that it's rare to see a star who isn't "perfectly done up every time they step in the public eye." From Hillary Clinton to Uma Thurman, I can think of a few.

The supermodel and mom is helping to publicize an event called "BearFaced Day" and asking women across the United Kingdom to dispense with cosmetics on November 9. While supporting kids in need is great, the fuss over Klum's face makes me wonder why we think wearing/not wearing make up is such a controversial issue. I regularly

Firefighter helps NJ FamilyWhen Hurricane Sandy barreled up the East Coast on Monday, it left millions of homes and businesses stranded without power, billions of dollars of damage, and more than 100 people dead. The full scope of the loss and damage is still being evaluated, but there are many ways to help those in need right now.

Charity Navigator has detailed information on how to donate smart, make your dollar go the farthest, and avoid the inevitable scams that prey on people trying to give money in a time of crisis. Before you give by text, social media, or donate to an unknown organization, please click here to read more.

You can contact the American Red Cross if you need help or if you want to make a donation. Click on www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS. The New York New Jersey Area also desperately needs blood donations that you can arrange by calling the Red Cross.

The Salvation Army is helping people on the ground in the hardest hit areas with shelters and mobile feeding stations.