By

Ryan Jaslow /

CBS News/ December 24, 2012, 3:46 PM

Heartwarming health stories of 2012

Zachary, a boy with leukemia, meets his favorite hero Hellboy, played by Ron Pearlman.

/ Spectral Motion
Health headlines sometimes conjure up more bad feelings than good, with all the recalls, disease outbreaks and studies that find Americans are eating their ways to an early grave.

But throughout 2012, several stories that dealt with people facing health issues reflected all that's good in the human spirit.

Just in time for the holidays, here's a look back at some of the feel-good health stories of this past year...