National Cancer Survivors Day!

It was brought to my attention that today, June 1st is National Cancer Survivors Day!! (as I finished writing this it became June 2nd.) According to Wikipedia, it is "a secular holiday celebrated on the first Sunday in June.  The day is meant to demonstrate that life after a cancer diagnosis can be a reality".  The first National Cancer Survivors Day was held on June 5th, 1988.  

What I also found out from Wikipedia,  are that celebrations and events are hosted in cities, and local towns, as well as by some hospitals and support groups mostly around the United States, but also other places around the globe.  The events can include, but not limited to carnivals, and parades, as well as art exhibits, contests, and art exhibits.  Survivors also speak at these events and give their testimonials to the crowds. 

According to the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundations official website "National Cancer Survivors Day is an annual, treasured Celebration of Life that is held in hundreds of communities nationwide and around the world. It is a celebration for those who have survived, an inspiration for those recently diagnosed, a gathering of support for families, and an outreach to the community. Participants unite in a symbolic event to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be meaningful, productive, and inspiring."

Why this day is especially important to me is because I am a Cancer Survivor.  As I have talked about before I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Papillary Thyroid Cancer in October of 2009, a month after I had turned 21.  My whole world was rocked and it set the tone for the events that followed.  I am happy to say that I have been Cancer free for almost four in a half years.  While my life aside from the diagnosis, treatment, and being told I was in remission has been a roller-coaster, as we all know.. I would not trade any of it for the alternative, which is not being here at all.  All the good times, the laughs, the smiles, the memories made, would not have been possible if I was not cancer free.  I am thankful and grateful forever moment on this planet, even through the bad times.. but mostly through the good, of course.

Being a Cancer Survivor is definitely something to celebrate, and I wish I would have known about this day, so I could have gotten involved with it.  I cannot believe it has been four years and I had no idea about this specific day.  So next year I will definitely be getting involved in one capacity or another, at least attend a local event.  So much as happened in these last four years, and I have gotten through it all with the support of my family and friends.  So to celebrate this day with them would be awesome, because, they are my strength, and they are why I am here right now.  I mean aside from the doctors and surgeons.. 

All I can really say is I am happy to be here today, and happy and proud to be a Cancer Survivor.  It has only made me a stronger person today.  I also use think that having Cancer was something that defined me, but it really is just a chapter of my story of my life, and luckily that chapter had a happy ending.  

On this day though, my heart goes out to those who have lost their lives to Cancers of any and every kind, and to those who have lost loved ones and friends to Cancer as well.  I feel for you because I have lost family members to Cancer and I know it is tough, but we have to just continue on.  Live life to the fullest for them, as well as for yourself.  

#ncsd2014

Peace & Love

Molly

Citations:  http://www.ncsd.org/index.htm, 

                   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Cancer_Survivors_Day