© 2021 MJH Life Sciences™ and Cure Today. All rights reserved.
Bonnie Annis is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2014 with stage 2b invasive ductal carcinoma with metastasis to the lymph nodes. She is an avid photographer, freelance writer/blogger, wife, mother and grandmother.
Celebrating milestones along a cancer journey is an important way to remember how far we've come. This post will offer ideas for your next celebration.
In another few months, I'll celebrate my fourth cancerversary. Some people choose to celebrate the day they were diagnosed, but I've chosen to celebrate the day cancer was removed from my body — July 9, 2014. Every year since I had my breasts removed, I celebrate big. The reason I celebrate it twofold. First, I want to remember how far I've come since that fateful day, and second, I want to celebrate the fact that I'm still alive. I beat cancer!
So, what is a cancerversary anyway? You may not be familiar with this word. A cancerversary is the anniversary of a specific time, date or event in the life of a person touched by cancer. Since each cancer journey is unique and different, individuals may choose different milestones to celebrate.
Some of the more common milestones to celebrate include:
These are just a few of the many milestones people celebrate, but a cancerversary is individual and can be anything you'd like it to be.
It's important to celebrate the special milestones along your cancer journey. By celebrating, you acknowledge the difficulties you've overcome and shift your focus toward the future.
Here are some examples of ways to commemorate your cancerversary:
Whether or not you have cancer, there's always a reason to celebrate. One of the main reasons we celebrate cancerversaries is because we're thankful to be alive. This year, I'm celebrating big! I'm going on an international trip to a destination I've dreamed of visiting for the past forty years. I can hardly wait!
Cancer is life changing and it's a hard, hard road but it isn't always a death sentence, for those of us who continue the fight, we hope you'll share in our joy as we reach new milestones along the way. If you're invited to participate in a cancerversary, please accept the invitation and marvel at the tenacity of the person celebrating.
Related Content:
NewsClinical Trials Can Be Scary – But with Advice From Past Participants, They Don’t Have To Be
Real-World Patients May Have More Side Effects to Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer Compared With Clinical Trial Data
Appointment Fatigue is a Real Thing And Here’s How to Manage It
FDA Grants Priority Review for Opdivo for Several Gastrointestinal Cancers