Celebrate Cancer Survivors, Raise Awareness on National Cancer Survivors Day, June 7
Sunday, June 7, 2020, marks the 33rd annual National Cancer Survivors Day® Celebration of Life – the day set aside each year to recognize cancer survivors, raise awareness of the ongoing challenges cancer survivors face because of their disease, and celebrate life.
With nearly 17 million people living with and beyond cancer in the U.S. today – and more than 32 million cancer survivors worldwide – everyone knows someone whose life has been touched by cancer. On Sunday, June 7, 2020, people around the world are coming together to acknowledge these cancer survivors, and to raise awareness of the challenges of cancer survivorship, as part of the 33rd annual National Cancer Survivors Day®.
National Cancer Survivors Day® is an annual worldwide Celebration of Life that is held on the first Sunday in June. It is a day to recognize cancer survivors, raise awareness of the ongoing challenges cancer survivors face because of their disease, and – most importantly – celebrate life.
According to the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation, administrator for the celebration, “A ‘survivor’ is anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life.”
“When people hear the words ‘you have cancer,’ it can be very frightening,” says Foundation spokesperson, Laura Shipp. “But there is hope. Today’s cancer survivors are living longer, better quality lives than ever before. National Cancer Survivors Day® gives these survivors – and those who support them – a special day each year to celebrate life and to show the world that you can have a good life after a cancer diagnosis.
“NCSD is also a call to action. Cancer survivors face ongoing, often long-lasting, hardships because of their disease. On National Cancer Survivors Day®, we want to raise awareness of the many challenges of cancer survivorship and advocate for further research, more resources, and increased public awareness to improve the lives of cancer survivors.”
The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation is encouraging everyone – cancer survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals, family members, and friends – to join the worldwide celebration.
Due to COVID-19, many of the public events scheduled to celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day® have been canceled. However, that doesn’t mean that the celebration is canceled. You can connect with cancer survivors and supporters around the world on Sunday, June 7, by using the hashtag #NCSD2020 and following National Cancer Survivors Day® on Facebook (Facebook.com/CancerSurvivorsDay), Instagram (@cancersurvivorsday), and Twitter (@survivorsday).
In addition, many communities and cancer organizations are taking their NCSD celebrations online or hosting socially distanced events. To find out how your community is celebrating, check with your local cancer treatment center, hospital, or cancer support group. You can also host a celebration of your own using the resources available through the National Cancer Survivors Day® website, ncsd.org.
The nonprofit National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation offers free guidance, education, networking resources, and assistance to hundreds of hospitals, support groups, and other cancer-related organizations that host official National Cancer Survivors Day® celebrations. The Foundation’s primary mission is to bring awareness to the issues of cancer survivorship in order to better the quality of life for cancer survivors.
As the number of cancer survivors continues to grow, it is becoming ever more important to address the unique needs of this population. In addition to facing a serious illness, cancer survivors must contend with rapidly rising drug costs, inadequate insurance coverage, difficulty finding or keeping employment, and ongoing physical, psychological, and financial struggles that persist even after treatment ends.
The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation, along with NCSD 2020 national supporters Agios, Bluebird Bio, Coping with Cancer magazine, Exelixis, and Janssen Biotech, is encouraging citizens across the globe to stand with these survivors on National Cancer Survivors Day® and make a commitment to addressing the challenges of cancer survival.
“The progress researchers are making in cancer treatment is amazing to witness,” says Shipp. “And we’re also starting to see more efforts being made to address the challenges cancer survivors face beyond treatment. But, now more than ever, it is vital that we work to ensure cancer survivors are not forgotten once active treatment ends.”
Leading up to National Cancer Survivors Day®, the NCSD Foundation urges everyone to spread the message that life after cancer is something worth celebrating, and a better quality of life for cancer survivors is worth fighting for.
The following is a suggested post for your social media sites:
Life after cancer is something worth celebrating. And a better quality of life for ALL cancer survivors is worth fighting for. Let’s #CelebrateLife and raise awareness of the challenges of cancer survivorship on National Cancer Survivors Day, June 7. #NCSD2020
About the Foundation
The nonprofit National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation offers free guidance, education, networking resources, and assistance to hundreds of hospitals, support groups, and other cancer-related organizations that host National Cancer Survivors Day® events in their communities. The Foundation’s primary mission is to bring awareness to the issues of cancer survivorship in order to better the quality of life for cancer survivors.
About National Cancer Survivors Day®
National Cancer Survivors Day® is an annual, treasured Celebration of Life that is held in hundreds of communities nationwide, and around the world, on the first Sunday in June. On National Cancer Survivors Day®, thousands gather across the globe to honor cancer survivors and to show the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be fruitful, rewarding, and even inspiring. NCSD offers an opportunity for all people living with a history of cancer – including America’s nearly 17 million cancer survivors – to connect with each other, celebrate milestones, and recognize those who have supported them along the way. It is also a day to draw attention to the ongoing challenges of cancer survivorship in order to promote more resources, research, and survivor-friendly legislation to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.
National Cancer Survivors Day® 2020 is supported nationally by Agios, Bluebird Bio, Coping with Cancer magazine, Exelixis, and Janssen Biotech.
Source: National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation, ncsd.org
