10 Women Over 50 Show What Resilience Looks Like

Amy Cohen, 53, founder of Families for Safe Streets, an advocacy group comprised of victims of traffic crashes.

"I was not an advocate before my 12-year-old son Sammy was killed by a reckless driver in 2013. But after the worst imaginable horror happened, I felt driven to speak out, bring together others with similar experiences, and help build a movement demanding action against this preventable epidemic. I had the life experience to recognize that we can and we must do better. American roads should not be the most dangerous of any developed nation."

Wardrobe: Cage Marble Earrings, LELE SADOUGHI, $145

Kim Vandewater, 57, Founder of Pet Rover.

"My life drastically changed at 53 when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. That same year, I lost my mother, my job and a best friend to cancer. I had been volunteering at animal shelters for years, and I decided to switch gears from 35 years in sales and marketing by opening a mobile a pet grooming business. Today, I serve a large number of pro-bono rescue pets, and I am celebrating the beginning of my third year being cancer-free. This is an age of transformation — it is never too late to follow your heart."

Erica Landis, 50, writer whose son's drowning death spurred a town regulation created in his name.

"I lost meaning after my 21-month-old son Noah died in a swimming pool accident in 2010, and I found it again in an unexpected way. There is a community in the written word among parents who have lost children and aren't sure how or why to go on. I've always loved to write but I slowly became more fearless as my stories were read online. It's taken years to put my grief into cohesive sentences, and even though I'm writing about something intrinsically tragic, readers say they feel uplifted by it. My story brings perspective."

Lisa D. Andujar, 52, Associate Director, Columbia University and car-accident survivor.

"In 1988, I was involved in a near-fatal car accident that significantly altered the way I look. Since that day, my life has been especially meaningful — I survived the physical challenges, I completed my degrees, I have a family, and a successful career. Yes, scars changed my face, and it took me a while to get over that, but I just celebrated the 30th anniversary of that fateful day. I know that without it, I would not be the person I am."

Wardrobe: Bow Top, ZARA, $46; Cuffed White Denim, TALBOTS, $99; Gold Banded Hoop, LELE SADOUGHI, $225

Lee Rhodes, 55, Founder of Glassybaby, which donates a portion of each sale of their handblown glass items to help people, animals and the planet.

"It took an experience for me with cancer to get to the point where my appreciation for something that's tender and kind is far more important than anything else. That's what Glassybaby is. At 55, concentrating on being present is much easier. I have more time to walk instead of drive. We all need to slow down and feel our feet touch the ground, even if it's only for 30 seconds every day."

Melissa Barbieri, 56, an artist who paints large-scale figurative works in oil.

"Right after my 51st birthday, out of the blue, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease after a lifetime of perfect health. I could have given up and crumbled. Instead, that very night, I went right to my studio and started painting. Since that birthday, it's taken discipline, strength, and an unshakable desire to keep going in my life's work. In this decade, I've realized that love is what matters and, for me, creating art is creating love."

Carmen Jirau-Rivera, 66, CPO at The Foundling, where she oversees a Head Start program she started in Puerto Rico 30 years ago.

"I grew up in Puerto Rico and came to the South Bronx at age six. After grad school, I specifically looked for a job in the same neighborhood, where I saw the need for supportive services from a foster care agency. My work with The Foundling — since 1975 — is a way of giving back to the community. Now in my 60s, I'm even more able to prioritize what's important and identify what's not."

Deb Marteslo, 68, Volunteer leader for the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action for gun sense in America.

"I'm celebrating the freedom I have in my 60s to continue to lead a purposeful life. I have always said that I want my epitaph to read, 'She made a difference.' Now I have both life experience and perspective. I have watched as our country tackled serious issues in the past, some that seemed insurmountable at the time, and I have seen the unstoppable power of the human spirit to move toward what is right."

Wardrobe: Violet Top, RAMY BROOK, $325; Cape, ZARA, $23; Slim Straight Dark Wash Jeans, BANANA REPUBLIC, $98; Circle Double Hoop Earrings, SHASHI, $56

Michelle Rawls, 57, Ironman competitor.

"In my 50s, I am celebrating the ability to continue to challenge myself — not only in my athletic dreams but also personally in being present in the lives of my family. I overcame a paralyzing fear of swimming to complete a triathlon, then went on to complete the 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2 mile run of an Ironman race. All you need is a goal, a dream, and forward motion. Everything starts with the first step... take it!"

Wardrobe: Jumpsuit, ALICE AND OLIVIA

Maria Kefalas, 50, co-founder of The Calliope Joy Foundation, which raises money to help children affected by leukodystrophy, a degenerative neurological disease.

"As a younger woman, I naively believed that I could prevent bad things from happening. Once the worst thing happens — for me that was my daughter's diagnosis with a terminal illness — you cannot hide from pain. Grief is a metamorphosis, it transforms you on a molecular level. Once there is nothing left to fear, you can accomplish amazing things. I can honor my daughter by helping other people; it is the only way to save yourself."

Wardrobe: Faux Leather The Neck Dress, ELOQUII, $163; Lune Hoop Earrings, JULIE VOS, $168