'Survivor' Castaway Jennifer Lyon dies at 37

Jennifer, who placed fourth on the 2005 edition of the CBS reality show, "Survivor: Palau", had been battling breast cancer for almost five years. She was diagnosed with stage-three breast cancer months after finishing production on Survivor.

Jennifer loses battle with breast cancer
After fighting courageously for almost five years, the reality TV starlet eventually lost her battle with stage-three breast cancer on Tuesday night.

A CBS representative confirmed Jenn’s death Wednesday.

"Survivor" host Jeff Probst told People that he and Lyon spoke "near the end" about "the idea that death is such a hard subject and so many of us don’t know what is appropriate to say, so we end up saying the wrong thing for all the right reasons."

"If I learned anything from Jenn it is this: Don't be afraid to ask someone how they are truly feeling about dying," Probst continued. "Don't shy away from the scary parts of death. They need someone to talk to about what is going on inside their head."

Probst, who reconnected with Lyon several years ago and stayed in touch during her cancer treatment, told Entertainment Weekly, "Her wisdom about how to live a life with quality seemed to grow with each passing day."

"I am so grateful she chose to share so much with me,” he added.

Fellow stars remember Jenn
Jenn’s fellow Survivor contestants remember her as a beautiful and courageous person.

A fellow castmate Johnny Fairplay said of Jenn, she was "such a beautiful person".

"I wish life was as simple as Survivor because I know for a fact there are 300 of us that would use every immunity idol and jury vote in the world to have her back."

Another Survivor contestant Ian Rosenberger told People at the "Survivor" 10th anniversary party on Jan. 9 that cancer-stricken Jennifer is a kind and courageous person.

"She is the model of grace, and has been so brave," Rosenberger told the magazine at the time.

"This has really rocked the 'Survivor' community," Us Weekly magazine has quoted "Survivor: Panama" castaway Austin Carty as saying.

Carty, who briefly dated Jenn, said, "It's just so sad. She was engaged in the greatest fight of her life, but she had every intention to fight and spread her positive messages."

More on the reality starlet
Born in Nevada, Jennifer Lyon grew up in Washington and Oregon. She was raised in the Columbia River city of The Dalles.

While in Oregon, Jenn attended Portland State University for approximately one year. She then attended Western Oregon State College and subsequently transferred to Oregon State University, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition and food management.

Before joining the reality TV, Jennifer spent one year in Spain as a foreign exchange student and two years in London working as a nanny.

She was diagnosed with stage three breast a few months after she wrapped the 2005 series of the Survivor on the island nation of Palau. To treat the disease, Jenn opted for a modified radical version of bilateral mastectomy, followed by courses of chemotherapy and tamoxifen, a drug used to prevent recurrence of the tumor.

Despite her condition, she became a prominent advocate of breast cancer research, hosting many fundraisers for the cause.

Most recently, Jenn opened a Christmas tree lot with proceeds designated to her cause.