On Sunday, June 2, the 32nd annual National Cancer Survivors Day will be celebrated, an event that will honor those living a life after a cancer diagnosis. It is also a day to acknowledge the contributions of their family, friends, health professionals, and those working in cancer research. National Cancer Survivors Day provides millions of people living with cancer with a celebration of life and is observed annually on the first Sunday in June.
As described on their official website, National Cancer Survivors Day is a celebration for those who have survived, an inspiration for those recently diagnosed, a gathering of support for families and an outreach for the community. On National Cancer Survivors Day, thousands gather across the globe to honor cancer survivors and to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be fruitful, rewarding and even inspiring.
As defined by the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation, anyone living with a diagnosis of cancer, from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life, is a cancer survivor. National Cancer Survivors Day is an opportunity for the community to demonstrate that it has an active, productive cancer survivor population and to bring awareness to the challenges they face during and after treatment.
The National Cancer Survivors Day was first announced by Merril Hastings at the second national conference meeting of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship in Albuquerque, New Mexico on November 20, 1987. Hastings then filed the name as an International Class 042 Service and also registered it with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in the name of Pulse Publications. The first National Cancer Survivors Day was held on June 5, 1988.
Each year on National Cancer Survivors Day, events and celebrations are held and hosted around the United States by local communities, hospitals and support groups honoring cancer survivors. Events may include parades, carnivals, art exhibits, contests and testimonies. President George W. Bush and the National Cancer Institute director each included a commencement at the 2008 celebration.
According to the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Treatment & Survivorship Facts & Figures 2014 – 2015, the number of cancer survivors alive in the United States today is expected to grow to almost 19 million by 2024. Even though cancer incidence rates are dropping, the number of survivors is rising due, in part, to earlier detection and better treatments. As the number of cancer survivors continues to grow, it will be more important than ever to address the unique needs of these individuals.
Many survivors face issues after cancer, including lack of information about new treatments, inadequate or no insurance and psychosocial struggles. Once active treatment ends, cancer survivors still must cope with the long-term effects of cancer, which can include physical side effects; psychological, social, and emotional concerns; and financial hardships.
National Cancer Survivors Day is also a day for citizens around the world to stand with the cancer survivors in their community and make a commitment to lessening the burden of cancer survivorship. It is a day to advocate for more resources, research, and legislation to improve the quality of life of cancer survivors.
But it also a day to celebrate. On National Cancer Survivors Day, a new era in cancer survivorship will be celebrated, as medical advances are allowing cancer survivors to live longer, healthier, more abundant lives than ever before. There is celebration in the personal milestones, no matter how small. And there is celebration in life.
The official website of the National Cancer Survivors Day encourages individuals to share posts to social media that is in support of cancer survivors. An example of a post one can share is: “Life after cancer is about more than just counting years. It's about making those years count. Let’s work together to lessen the burden of cancer survivorship. Join us to #CelebrateLife and raise awareness on National Cancer Survivors Day, June 2, 2019. #NCSD2019.”
To locate the nearest National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation event in your community, check our website, www.citynewsgroup.com.