In TLC's "Crazy Sexy Cancer," actress-turned-filmmaker Kris Carr documents her journey with a rare vascular cancer, from the then-31-year-old's Valentine's Day 2003 diagnosis to the present. The film includes her struggles and triumphs and those of fellow cancer survivors, always keeping the story upbeat and optimistic.

Carr even meets her future husband, Peters native and 1984 Peters Township High School graduate Brian Fassett, who was working as her cameraman/editor. The couple married a year ago.

Carr, 35, has Stage 4 cancer, but the 24 tumors in her liver and lungs are in stasis, allowing her to get on with living. She also has written a book, "Crazy Sexy Cancer Tips" ($17.95, skirt!) that's now in stores.

Q: Why did you decide to film your story, and had you ever made a movie before this one?

K.C.: I was an actress and had done a lot of film and television and was in the process of making a documentary about homeless men and women. When I found out there was no cure and no treatment, I used this film as a creative outlet for myself to heal.

Q: I can understand the "crazy" of cancer, but what's the "sexy"?

K.C.: It's been a little controversial. There's nothing sexy about cancer, that's not the message, but women who have it are sexy, they're whole, they're empowered, they're thriving human beings with or without the disease. Often it feels like you have to shelve yourself. At 31 years old, it's important to challenge the stigma and not be defined by cancer.

Q: Was it intentional or happenstance that all the other women you introduce viewers to are survivors?

K.C.: It's wonderful that everybody survived, and we're all going on with our lives. It's painting a picture of young women who live with cancer. [If someone had died], we would absolutely have included it. We became a family, my cancer posse. It's very important to paint a realistic picture. In my film, it just happens to be very positive, but there are so many sides of this story.

Q: Brian, how did you get involved in this project?

B.F.: I had known Kris through friends casually for almost 10 years, so when she was looking for someone to help her cut together a short promo piece early in the project, a friend told her I was an editor and filmmaker and we started working together.

Q: At what point did you realize you were in love with the film's subject?

B.F.: Truth be told, I kind of thought she was pretty fantastic even before that, but she didn't know that. It was kind of a surreal experience having the footage in front of me on a computer monitor and having her sitting in a chair. It was like courtship in a house of mirrors. It was a very slow process. We took our time and wanted to make sure this was something we were serious about and it just sort of grew from there.

Question: Kris, what's your current health status?

K.C.: I live with cancer. I manage it as a chronic disease. The cancer is completely stable. I imagine it like a light switch turned off. I kind of blossomed backwards. I got cancer, fell in love and have a magical life. I never imagined it would happen that way, but you just go with the flow, right?