Pearlman Cancer Center Observes National Cancer Survivors Day Sunday, June 2

National Cancer Survivors Day is Sunday, June 2, 2013 and the Pearlman Cancer Center (PCC) at South Georgia Medical Center is hosting a survivors’ event called Hope Grows Here.  The event will be held from 2:00pm to 3:30pm at Mathis City Auditorium. Cancer survivors, caregivers, family members, friends, and healthcare professionals will unite to show that life after a cancer diagnosis can be meaningful, productive, and even inspiring.  If you would like to attend, please call SGMC Community Relations to register, 229-259-4420.“Come learn how surviving cancer is more than just living. It’s an attitude about embracing the future and living each day to the fullest,” says Bridgett Young, Executive Director of the PCC and event coordinator. “You’ll find our National Cancer Survivors Day (NCSD) event filled with joy, camaraderie, hope, compassion, faith, and love as we honor cancer survivors for their strength and courage. We also want to recognize the contributions of their families, friends, and healthcare providers.” Sunday’s celebration will include an uplifting personal testimony from Meg Booth, who received treatment at PCCC, survivorship education, food and door prizes, in addition to comments from members of the PCCC Medical Staff. This local event is part of a worldwide celebration coordinated by the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation and supported nationally by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Coping® with Cancer magazine, and Lilly USA,LLC.Anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life, is a cancer survivor, according to the NCSD Foundation. Nearly 14 million Americans are now living with and beyond a diagnosis of cancer. In the United States, men have a slightly less than a 1 in 2 lifetime risk of developing cancer; for women, the risk is a little more than 1 in 3. Learning about this disease is crucial, as many forms of cancer can be prevented and cured if detected early.Major advances in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment have resulted in longer survival, and therefore, a growing number of cancer survivors. However, a cancer diagnosis can leave a host of problems in its wake. Physical, financial, and emotional hardships often persist after diagnosis and treatment. Survivors may face many challenges such as limited access to cancer specialists and promising new treatments, inadequate or no insurance, financial hardships, difficulty finding employment, psychosocial struggles, and a lack of understanding from family and friends. In light of these difficulties, our community needs to focus on improving the quality of life for cancer survivors. “Despite these challenges, cancer survivors are living full, productive lives and serving as inspirations to us all,” said Young.  “We want long-term cancer survivors to participate as well as more recently diagnosed individuals. This is truly a celebration of life.”