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GREAT FALLS -Mary Licht, a Great Falls native who is battling cancer, recently managed to overcome one of her biggest fears by becoming a mermaid at Great Falls' famous Sip-n-Dip Lounge in the O'Haire Motor Inn.

Licht, 54, conquered her fear of water by fulfilling her lifelong dream of becoming a mermaid. But braving the waters at the Sip-n-Dip isn't the hardest thing she has gone through. Licht was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer in November 2009, and after a hard battle, she is now on the verge of remission.

"I am recuperating from my bout with cancer. I have colon cancer and I have been taking medicine for it and I am on my way to recover and I wanted to do something fun," Licht said.

With the support of her family in the dimly lit bar below, Licht was finally ready, willing, and able to take the plunge. She took the plunge, sporting the mermaid outfit.

"It felt really good but it was kind of clumsy being a mermaid; I don't think I would be able to survive being in the water," she said afterward.

Her fight with cancer has taught this second grade teacher that life brings many challenges that can be overcome with courage and determination.

So now that Licht has faced some of her biggest fears, what's next for the married mother of three?

"I am not sure. I haven't been up on a hot air balloon, that was an experience. I am not sure what I want to do next, I will have to review my bucket list and check it out," she said.

Licht now lives outside Elko, Nevada with her family.