I Had A ‘Legitimate Cancer’

I am a volunteer in my community for Relay For Life and this will be my 6th year of being involved. After this many years, it is still an amazing event and always rewarding and emotional. My grandparents are Survivors and walk in the opening Survivor lap and I am always there to proudly applaud them and cheer them on. Along with the many other Survivors that walk with them. No matter what type of cancer you have had, you are a Survivor. Cancer kills too many people and you should be proud that you fought your cancer and won! I applaud all of you! If any of you are interested in participating in a Relay For Life in your community, go to the website for the American Cancer Society, as it is their main fund-raising event in the fight against cancer. There are more than 5000 events across the United States! Go to www.cancer.org. Click on Relay For Life on the left side and it will take you to a new page. Enter your zip code on the right side (down about half way) and it will find a Relay near you! Sign up as a Survivor and you'll get one of the Purple shirts! Good luck to all of you!

I am a volunteer in my community for Relay For Life and this will be my 6th year of being involved. After this many years, it is still an amazing event and always rewarding and emotional. My grandparents are Survivors and walk in the opening Survivor lap and I am always there to proudly applaud them and cheer them on. Along with the many other Survivors that walk with them. No matter what type of cancer you have had, you are a Survivor. Cancer kills too many people and you should be proud that you fought your cancer and won! I applaud all of you! If any of you are interested in participating in a Relay For Life in your community, go to the website for the American Cancer Society, as it is their main fund-raising event in the fight against cancer. There are more than 5000 events across the United States! Go to www.cancer.org. Click on Relay For Life on the left side and it will take you to a new page. Enter your zip code on the right side (down about half way) and it will find a Relay near you! Sign up as a Survivor and you'll get one of the Purple shirts! Good luck to all of you!

As a long term survivor I have come to understand what survivors mean to another class of people, those just diagnosed and those about to be diagnosed. What is it? Hope. Cancer is a scary word, I don't care how strong you are. See survivors walking around gives hope and sometimes strength to those who need it most.

As a Proud 21 year cervical/uterian survivor, even prouder daughter of a 12 year breast cancer survivor and 1 1/2 year prostate survivor, we have participated for 12 years. I'm also a volunteer with the honor of leading the survivors walk being known as the silly one that gets everyone ready with a warm up stretch, laughter and lots of smiles. As a survivor I hold my head up high and always remembering a smile means everthing to the newly diagnoised, a survivor, the families, and all that have been touched by cancer. There are truly two songs that you will hear are every walk WE ARE FAMILY, and I WILL SURVIVE. They are kind of our theme songs!!

As a Proud 21 year cervical/uterian survivor, even prouder daughter of a 12 year breast cancer survivor and 1 1/2 year prostate survivor, we have participated for 12 years. I'm also a volunteer with the honor of leading the survivors walk being known as the silly one that gets everyone ready with a warm up stretch, laughter and lots of smiles. As a survivor I hold my head up high and always remembering a smile means everthing to the newly diagnoised, a survivor, the families, and all that have been touched by cancer. There are truly two songs that you will hear are every walk WE ARE FAMILY, and I WILL SURVIVE. They are kind of our theme songs!!

I loved this article. I've participated several times with my daughters in the Relay for Life, and the breast cancer walk; not for me, but for my mother who died of cancer before my youngest was born, and now for a good friend, barely in his 30's, who died a couple of months ago. It does matter that you were there for your friends and family. YOU matter, never forget that!

Thanks for sharing that beautifully written, very personal story. For those of us who volunteer at Relay For Life, we know we're there for every survivor...and we're raising money at Relay so that one day no one will have to hear the words, "You have cancer."
pat flynn

I have emailed this story to my fiance, he finished his treatments for Stage III Testicular Cancer at the end of August and recieved his clean bill of health mid-Sept. The day he was diagnosed changed our lives, we we where 28 (he 27 at the time of diagnosis) and newly engaged so much to look forward than this. This story will make him smile and realize what he did was nothing short of brave and outstanding just like you. May we continue to enjoy health and happiness as newlyweds next month! Thank you so much for this....

As a Proud 21 year cervical/uterian survivor, even prouder daughter of a 12 year breast cancer survivor and 1 1/2 year prostate survivor, we have participated for 12 years. I'm also a volunteer with the honor of leading the survivors walk being known as the silly one that gets everyone ready with a warm up stretch, laughter and lots of smiles. As a survivor I hold my head up high and always remembering a smile means everthing to the newly diagnoised, a survivor, the families, and all that have been touched by cancer. There are truly two songs that you will hear are every walk WE ARE FAMILY, and I WILL SURVIVE. They are kind of our theme songs!!

I am a cancer survivor. My cancer was Thyroid Cancer. The only treatment that I had following the removal of my thyroid was Radioactive Iodine Treatment - swallowing just one pill. That was 10 months ago. I hope and pray that that is the only time that I will have cancer in my lifetime. My cancer wasn't "as bad as so many people have to endure" but, like any cancer, if it would not have been caught in time, it could have spread and been fatal. I am second generation thyroid cancer - my mom had it. Now, my children will have to be tested over the years to make sure that their generation didn't inherit it.

Thank God that you are a survivor. May your health continue to improve and may God bless you.

My aunt nancy was dianosed witth ovarian canser when she was 28 yrs old.When they found it , it was a size of a lemon. She was told that she had 6 months to live but she had alot of fight in her, she made it to 3 yrs.After the ovarian canser it spread even though she getting chemeo and ration, it spread to her breast, her lungs and liver.She held on for me to graduate, when she died she she looked like she had was 9 months pregnant.Now I,m 42 and have to have mammograms every 6 months.It,s really scary ur afraid you,ll get it family history.

As a prostate cancer "survivor", your article struck several chords. i think of survivors as folks that walked away from a plane crash or some such, not gone on living after something that isn't immediately life trhreatening gets taken from your body, or zapped with radiation. Also, just like that magic word testicular, a lot of folks get uncomfortable discussing something that can affect what makes a guy a guy, wink wink....anyway, it's not about embarrassment, it's about getting and staying real, getting treated, making sure others get treated, so that we can all survive and appreciate the devastation that comes from losing someone before their time. Thanks for conveying that message Steve, I'll sign up for one of those purple shirts next year---and oh, thank your Mom too:-)

What a great read. A refresing view for all of us to "role model" . Your humor and insight gives us a path that reveals how each of may feel facing the possibility of the big "C". Best of luck and keep writing your story.

Thank you so much for your story. I lost my father a year ago to lung cancer. Its refreshing to hear a survivor story...especially with a touch of humor. I just wish he could have worn purple too. Cheers to you and your loved ones!

What a wonderfuld story. I am a 31 yr old ovarian cancer survivor. I too know that nervous feeling about walking. I was so nervous at the my first Relay but I have now walked for the last 3 yrs. It overwhelms me everytime at how many people there are cheering on the survivors. Be proud to walk and remember that we are helping to keep the memory alive of those that did not survive!

As a fellow cancer survivor, I can relate. You had me laughing with tears in my eyes. I know what it's like for people to look at you like you have 2 heads when they find out you have cancer and you are so young( I was 29 when diagnosed). Anyway, just wanted to let you know that I absolutely loved this article, and the others that you write, for that matter! After reading your piece on the backlash about the crocs, I must not be the only one with a crush!

I love my purple shirt but more importantly I love my, then 17 year old, daughters. We both survived in '07 me first, diagnosed in April, radiation, chemo and surgery Aug 13th. She diagnosed a week after I came home from the hospital. Surgery and then chemo while auditioning for college as a Musical Theater major. She got involved and was a major player in the organization of our local Relay for Life. I can tell you that I have never been happier than that late July evening walking around the High School track with her and all the other survivors how lucky can one person be.

I am not a cancer survivor, but i have participated in Relay for Life for the past 5 years as a team captain. (My team is a small group of teenagers, so we raised as much money as we could, just trying to make a little difference.) this story is wonderful. I strongly encourage anyone to go check out their community's Relay, whether or not you are a survivor. It is such an eye opener and makes you feel so good for helping out in any way. It is a fantastic event.