Amy Wilde of Austin is the winner in ABC 6 News’ Extreme Makeover Local American Dream contest.

“I’m very grateful,” Wilde said.

The family plans to use the $5,000 prize money to make improvements to drafty front and rear doors, their bathroom and other areas of their southwest Austin home or exactly what the contest sponsors wanted.

The attention made Wilde feel uncomfortable from the start.

“I’m the kind of person who would rather sit back and let everybody else get the attention,” she said. “I’m the kind of person who prefers doing the work.”

The Austin woman was chosen from among 50 area nominees by a national selection panel.

A member of the Austin Jaycees, Wilde’s personal victory also means the local Jaycees chapter will receive $5,000.

The contest criteria focused on honoring local volunteers, who were also experiencing personal hardship.

For instance, cancer.

Wilde was diagnosed with stage 4 Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in October 2008.

The news devastated the family and caused immediate turmoil.

Wilde and her husband, Shannon, a Walgreens pharmacy technician at Albert Lea, have three children: Tyler, 11, Abby, 7, and Elizabeth, 2.

Despite dealing with cancer treatment, Wilde continued to be housewife and homemaker for her family and an active Austin Jaycees member, helping the community.

Her zest for life and for being a volunteer despite the medical problems she suffered inspired others, according to Danielle Nesvold, a Jaycees member who nominated Wilde for the honor.

Still, the struggles continued and took their toll.

A fundraising benefit was held on her behalf in February to help deal with medical expenses being incurred.

The cancer victim was slowed, but never stopped.

Wilde’s commitment to the Jaycees’ organization never wavered.

“Amy and her husband are passionate about kids and by being in the Jaycees and about being able to give back to their community,” Nesvold said.

Winning a $5,000 home improvement prize and helping her favorite Austin Jaycees win their own $5,000 prize are sweet surprises, indeed, but there is something else to make the news sweeter: Wilde’s cancer is in remission.

She has moved from “cancer victim” to “cancer survivor” in just five months.

“I found out I was in remission March 11,” Wilde said. “I feel better today. I’m still tired, but I don’t suffer nausea from the chemo.”

How long the woman’s cancer remains in remission is a “crazy unknown,” according to Wilde, so each day is to be savored.

The announcement of Wilde’s victory was made last Sunday evening on ABC affiliate KAAL-TV broadcasts.

Winning the Extreme Makeover Local Dream Contest also means there will be a fundraising event scheduled in May to benefit the Austin Jaycees.

ABC 6 News and radio station 102.5, The Fox Radio, are co-sponsoring the event, which will be held sometime before the season finale for the hit ABC show “Extreme Makeover – Home Edition” after which the local contest was patterned.

Heather Holmes, ABC 6 News marketing director, congratulated Wilde and said, “ABC 6 News and our co-sponsors are excited about creating a special benefit event to raise money in addition to the $5,000 prize, for the Austin Jaycees, the non-profit organization that is so important to Amy.”

More details about the May event will be announced later, according to Holmes.

Wilde’s husband, Shannon, said the only change cancer was able to make in his wife “is that she’s more feisty today.”

The husband also said his respect for his wife has grown during her bout with cancer.

Amy and Shannon Wilde have both learned a lesson.

“You don’t give up. You just keep on going,” Amy said. “Take what life gives you.”