Valerie Harper voices documentary about local woman's rare disease

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Valerie Harper is the voice of a new documentary called "Banner on the Moon," about one woman's incredible determination to live her life to the fullest.

The film looks at Irvine resident Cindy Abbott's struggle to find a diagnosis for a rare and often deadly disease. It's about tenacity, resiliency and challenging yourself.

Harper, who's battling terminal cancer, understands that well.

"Every minute that you give up to fear and sitting in just anguish about your physical situation is a moment lost to living," Harper said.

Abbott became the 41st woman to summit Mount Everest. She did it, in part, to raise awareness for the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD). Hers is called Wegener's granulomatosis.

"After 14 years of going undiagnosed with a disease that there was an answer for the entire time, just no one to lead me to the people who had it, I became obsessed," said Abbott.

The result of that obsession is "Banner on the Moon," which is playing this weekend as part of the AARP Movies for Grownups Film Showcase.

The focus isn't so much about her diagnosis, it's about raising awareness for the 7,000 rare diseases out there.

After Mount Everest, Abbott took on the Iditarod in Alaska.

"I don't think about the pain," said Abbott. "Even like when I had the double broken pelvis and ran for 10 days in the Iditarod, I had an amazing time out in nature with my dogs doing some crazy stuff. I put the pain away."

She sure sounds a lot like Harper.

"I'm not giving up. I'm living my life at every moment that I can, every bit of joy and happiness and excitement, and even sadness, emotion, feeling that I can get out of each moment," said Harper.

"Banner on the Moon" plays at 6 p.m. Friday at Regal Cinemas at L.A. Live., followed by a Q&A with both women.