A Cancer Thriver Breaks Down Her Definition of Survivorship

Survivorship can mean something different to everyone, and it is important to reflect on the different definitions of survivorship, especially during National Cancer Survivors Month, which is recognized yearly during the month of June.

This month, according to the Fred Hutch Cancer Center website, serves a time to honor and celebrate the strength and resilience of individuals who have faced cancer. Moreover, it is time to acknowledge the importance of ongoing support and research patients.

Valarie Traynham understands the definition of survivorship well, as she is a cancer thriver and serves as a patient advocate following her diagnoses of multiple myeloma and breast cancer.

To discuss her idea of what survivorship means, Traynham sat down for an interview with CURE, where she explained the various ways, she has interpreted survivorship, and how the definition has changed from diagnosis to now.

Transcript:

How do you define survivorship, and how has that definition evolved since your diagnosis with multiple myeloma and breast cancer?

So, I think of survivorship in many different ways. One, for me personally, it is about thriving with cancer. I live with this every day, but I have learned how to thrive with it. I also find that it's about waking up every day and really just choosing to continue to live, even on those hard days when you're not sure how the day is going to go. You still have to get up and face it, taking those good days with the bad days. That thing I have hope in, that's what I try to focus on most.

I think survivorship has changed. I have noticed that it had changed from when I first even thought about survivorship, which was not something I considered until later in my cancer journey. Initially, I thought of it as just holding on, processing everything I had just been handed, dealing with this deck of cards I was given and playing them. But I've also found that it meant navigating the unknowns.

When you get that cancer diagnosis, a lot goes on, and you're a little bit unsure of how to handle all of that. Over time, I realized that it means much more. It's about living fully, as I said, thriving, celebrating every win, small milestones. Celebrate those small milestones and don't take anything for granted.

It also means learning how to speak up for myself, learning how to become a good self-advocate, speaking up for myself, knowing what questions to ask, and those types of things. But I'm finding it's about living with intention, living life with more meaning, and finding those special connections and finding that hope.

Transcript has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

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