• Facebook
  • Rss
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Store
  • Donate
NCCS - National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Leadership
      • Policy Advisors
    • Employment
    • Partnerships
    • Financial Information
  • Policy
    • Quality Cancer Care
    • Access to Care
    • Health Equity
    • Redefining Functional Status (RFS)
    • 2020 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey
    • Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act (CCPCA)
  • Get Involved
    • What is Advocacy?
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT)
    • Elevating Survivorship
    • Survivor Stories
    • Cancerversary
    • State Based Cancer Advocacy
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources for Cancer Survivors
    • Survivorship Checklist
    • Cancer Survival Toolbox
    • Telehealth
    • Survivorship Champions
    • Publications
      • Talking With Your Doctor
      • Self Advocacy
      • Employment Rights
      • Remaining Hopeful
    • Cancer Convos Podcast
    • Taking Charge of Your Care
    • Care Planning for Cancer Survivors
    • Tools For Care Providers
    • Order Our Resources
  • News
  • Events
    • Ellen L. Stovall Award
      • Nominations
      • Honorees
      • Sponsors
      • Committees
    • From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement
    • Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Spring 2021 Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Fall 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Spring 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT) Symposium 2020
    • Webinars
  • Contact Us
  • Search
  • Menu Menu
  • 0Shopping Cart

Year-End MATCH (DEADLINE Dec 31): Donate & Make a Difference | Donate

CancerversarySquareCandles

Speaking to the Needs of Patients Living with Advanced Cancers and Honoring Cancer Stories with Cancerversary

November 21, 2014/in Cancer News, Cancer Policy Blog, NCCS News Care Coordination, Quality Cancer Care NCCS News /by actualize
CancerversarySquareCandles

A cancerversary is a milestone defined by you.

Recently, NCCS had the honor of celebrating the work and advocacy of two amazing individuals.

Susan Gubar, the author of The New York Times blog “Living with Cancer,” received the Natalie Davis Spingarn Writer’s Award, and Lillie Shockney was awarded the Catherine Logan Award for Service to Survivorship. We encourage those interested in survivorship issues to view Susan’s acceptance speech online, and to read Lillies’ recent Cancer Policy Matters guest post. Although their contributions to cancer survivorship are as  unique as their talents, both women have had a powerful impact in speaking to the needs and wishes of an often under-represented population —patients living with advanced cancers.

As Susan noted in her acceptance speech, a large proportion of the 1 in 4 Americans diagnosed with cancer will never be “cancer-free.” For the millions of people living with these circumstances, and for others at any point in the cancer journey, we must advocate for the best quality of life possible. Goals have a place in the life of anyone living with cancer — whether they are marked in events (attending a wedding, the birth of a grandchild) or in celebrating the days, weeks, and months spent with family and friends.

In Susan’s most recent essay for the Living with Cancer blog, she defines cancerversary as the recurrence of the date on which she learned of her diagnosis and prognosis. Transitioning her line of thought from “living on borrowed time” to “pure gravy,” her post celebrates something well worth celebrating — living for as long as one can as well as one can.

Much as NCCS pioneered the term “survivorship” to find the language to describe the many issues of living with, through, and beyond a cancer diagnosis, NCCS launched the first “Cancerversary®” campaign in May 2009 to honor the journeys of survivors of all types of cancer. Today, we’re pleased that others have defined the cancerversary milestone in their own terms, and are using the term to share their story with others. Just as values and experiences impact perceptions of survivorship, others might define “cancerversary” differently.  Depending on circumstances, one might think of a cancerversary as the last day of treatment, or the first. It can be marked by an office visit or a phone call. It can be an experience felt as a patient, a caregiver, or a loved one.  A cancerversary — like any cancer experience — is unique, and yet so many find comfort in acknowledging their journey and the journeys of others.

For this reason, as we approach a new year and turn to introspection, we encourage those touched by cancer, at any point in the journey, to honor cancerversaries. We invite you to share your story; help us advocate for quality cancer care; or connect with the survivorship resources that can better help patients advocate for quality care. Please use Facebook or Twitter to share your story with others, or tell us your thoughts in the comment section.

What’s your cancerversary?

Tags: Cancer Survivorship, cancerversary, ePatient, quality, Susan Gubar
Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/CancerversarySquareCandles.png 500 500 actualize https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png actualize2014-11-21 15:00:152020-12-31 10:53:34Speaking to the Needs of Patients Living with Advanced Cancers and Honoring Cancer Stories with Cancerversary
You might also like
20years Treating the Whole Person: Understanding and Gaining Access to Palliative Care
Fotolia 23428619 S e1461260836640 NCCS Joins Letter to Congressional Leaders Regarding the Affordable Care Act
How We Pay for Cancer Treatment WCOE: Discussions About the Costs of Care and How We Pay for Cancer Treatment
Survivorship and a Happy Cancerversary A Tribute to Survivorship and a Happy Cancerversary to Our Friend and Colleague
Stovall Award NCCS Presents the Inaugural Ellen Stovall Award to Douglas W. Blayney, MD, FACP (Video)
NCCS CancerAdvocacy.org NCCS and Cancer Groups Urge National Academy of Medicine to Include Cancer Patients in Phase IB COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation
increases in risk of certain leukemias NIH study finds increases in risk of certain leukemias related to treatment
20years The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)

Latest News

NCCS Founders at 1990 Assembly

The Birth of the Cancer Survivorship Movement and How It Transformed Cancer Care for Millions

March 25, 2021
Guest Post by Judith L. Pearson Best-Selling Author of From Shadows to Life: A Biography…
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/10-Founders-1990-NCCS-Assembly.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2021-03-25 10:36:202021-03-25 13:46:05The Birth of the Cancer Survivorship Movement and How It Transformed Cancer Care for Millions
HHS Humphrey bldg 1200

Biden Rescinds Trump Admin Proposal to Limit Medicare Part D Coverage of Drugs in “Six Protected Classes”

March 19, 2021
This week, the Biden administration rescinded a Trump administration-proposed plan…
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/HHS-Humphrey-bldg-1200.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2021-03-19 13:36:192021-03-23 14:46:18Biden Rescinds Trump Admin Proposal to Limit Medicare Part D Coverage of Drugs in “Six Protected Classes”
CDC Headquarters

NCCS Recommends That States Allocate COVID-19 Vaccines to Cancer Care Providers

March 1, 2021
The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship (NCCS) and the Cancer Leadership Council…
Read more
https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/CDC_Headquarters_PHIL_pubdomain_1200.jpg 600 1200 NCCS Staff https://canceradvocacy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/NCCA-Logo.png NCCS Staff2021-03-01 15:49:432021-03-04 17:45:07NCCS Recommends That States Allocate COVID-19 Vaccines to Cancer Care Providers

Take Action

Stovall Award

The Ellen L. Stovall Award for Innovation in Patient-Centered Cancer Care is a unique opportunity for patients and survivors to recognize pioneers who are transforming the cancer care system.

Join CPAT

The NCCS Cancer Policy & Advocacy Team (CPAT) is a program for survivors and caregivers to learn about pressing policy issues that affect quality cancer care in order to be engaged as advocates in public policy around the needs of cancer survivors.

Share Your Story

NCCS represents the millions of Americans who share a common experience – the survivorship experience – living with, through and beyond a cancer diagnosis.

STAY CONNECTED

Together we can improve cancer care for survivors! Sign up to be the first to know about cancer policy issues and ways to take action

  • About
    • Our Mission
    • Our History
    • Our Leadership
      • Policy Advisors
    • Employment
    • Partnerships
    • Financial Information
  • Policy
    • Quality Cancer Care
    • Access to Care
    • Health Equity
    • Redefining Functional Status (RFS)
    • 2020 State of Cancer Survivorship Survey
    • Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act (CCPCA)
  • Get Involved
    • What is Advocacy?
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT)
    • Elevating Survivorship
    • Survivor Stories
    • Cancerversary
    • State Based Cancer Advocacy
  • Resources
    • COVID-19 Resources for Cancer Survivors
    • Survivorship Checklist
    • Cancer Survival Toolbox
    • Telehealth
    • Survivorship Champions
    • Publications
      • Talking With Your Doctor
      • Self Advocacy
      • Employment Rights
      • Remaining Hopeful
    • Cancer Convos Podcast
    • Taking Charge of Your Care
    • Care Planning for Cancer Survivors
    • Tools For Care Providers
    • Order Our Resources
  • News
  • Events
    • Ellen L. Stovall Award
      • Nominations
      • Honorees
      • Sponsors
      • Committees
    • From Shadows to Life: A Biography of the Cancer Survivorship Movement
    • Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Spring 2021 Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Fall 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable
      • Spring 2020 Cancer Policy Roundtable
    • Cancer Policy and Advocacy Team (CPAT) Symposium 2020
    • Webinars
  • Contact Us

National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
8455 Colesville Road  |  Suite 930  |  Silver Spring, MD 20910
877-NCCS-YES  |  info@canceradvocacy.org
Privacy Policy  |  Terms and Conditions

Copyright © 1995-2021 by the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship
National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, NCCS, Cancer Survival Toolbox, and related Logos are registered in the United States as trademarks of the National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship.

WCOE: The Burden of Caregiving, Financial Incentives, Unnecessary Services for... NCCS Starburst Thumbnail Guest Post by Peter Bach: Lung Cancer Awareness Month Brings a Long-Awaited...
Scroll to top

Harmar Brereton, MD

Founder
Northeast Regional Cancer Institute

 

“Perhaps one of the most impactful collaborations in Dr. Brereton’s extraordinary career remains his early work and long friendship with Ellen Stovall. Through him, and in turn through the thousands of lives he has touched, Ellen’s work continues, and her mission lives on.”

—Karen M. Saunders
President, Northeast Regional Cancer Institute