Celebrated on the seventh of June, National Cancer Survivors Day intends to raise awareness of continuous challenges faced with those who had gotten a diagnosis of this disease. This year, 2015, this nationwide event’s organizers intend to emphasize every patient’s needs while dwelling on the positives. Unlike a few decades ago, cancer is not longer the automatic sentence of death today. Among adults in the United States, there is a relative five-year rate of survival for types of cancer.
From the time they are diagnosed, many centers of cancer across the nation discuss surviving the disease. This means helping to make assessments of patients’ continuing needs as well as helping them design their journey onwards. As varied as each patient, the experience of cancer also varies. Many people get a diagnosis earlier with better screenings. This results in bigger likelihoods of getting a cure and better overall outcomes. Others may struggle with their health, particularly when they are diagnosed with later stages of the disease.
Events
Local support groups, hospitals, cities and towns usually host celebrations and events on this day. Included in the celebrations are testimonies, contests, exhibits of art, carnivals and parades to honor survivors of cancer. Check with your local community hospital or ask your doctor about up and coming events in your own town. Some countries such as Barbuda and Antigua also celebrate this event and include a run and a walk since 2007 as part of their celebrations. In attempts to expand this celebrative holiday around the world, the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation is not celebrated in other countries as well. Targeted countries for expansion to celebrate this special day include American Samoa, South Africa, Australia, Guam, Malaysia, India, The Netherlands, Italy, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, the Cayman Islands and Canada.
History
Merril Hastings first made an announcement of the National Cancer Survivors Day at the 2nd meeting of the national conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship on the twentieth of November in 1987. Later, Hastings registered in the name of Pulse Publications with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and first filed the name as the International Class 042 Service. It was on the fifth of June in 1988 that the first National Cancer Survivors Day was held. Since that time, 22 other National Cancer Survivors Day has been held.
Ways to Show Your Support
To show your support for National Cancer Survivors Day, you can share some messages on sites of social media.
- Share stories and photos on your favorite sites of social media using the NCSD2015 hash tag. Tag your posts to Survivors Day on Twitter on National Cancer Survivors Day on Facebook. Remember that there is still life after this disease and that is something worth a celebration. Join millions of survivors on this day around the world and show your support on social networks.
- Twitter- Share a message that includes #CelebrateLife for the National Cancer Survivors day cancer survivors.
- Facebook- Join millions of cancer supporters and survivors globally as people raise awareness about the issue of surviving cancer and celebrate life
