For 27 years, Northwestern’s Lurie Cancer Center Survivor’s Celebration has honored cancer survivors and supporters, celebrated milestones and help raise funds to advance vital research. This annual celebration of cancer survivors has been one of the biggest highlights throughout my cancer journey.
Lurie Cancer Center’s Annual Cancer Survivor’s Celebration will always be a special day for me.
Each year on the first Sunday in June, in honor of National Cancer Survivors Day, thousands of cancer survivors and supporters come together in Grant Park to help advance critical research and to celebrate life, hope and healing.
As a cancer survivor, this annual event holds a special place in my heart because two years ago, it was the first time I could publicly celebrate beating cancer—months before my treatment even ended.
Thanks to the success of my immunotherapy and chemo treatments, my midway scan back in April of 2018 showed I had no evidence of disease.
I was officially in remission but still had to complete all six cycles/12 treatments of chemo.
Although I was still in active treatment, I was able to walk in Lurie’s Annual Cancer Survivors Celebration in June of 2018 to celebrate beating stage 3 Hodgkin Lymphoma.
Holding my oldest daughter’s hand as thousands of people cheered when crossed the finish line is a feeling I will never forget.
August 9th, 2018, was my last chemo treatment, but my journey is far from over.
I’m now facing some new challenges, but today will always be a vivid reminder of how I’ve come and how much there is to celebrate.
Becoming a survivor is a gradual process—not easily summed up or put into words.
Cancer taught me surviving is often a matter of perseverance and perspective.
I’m slowly learning surviving is:
Moving forward —not necessarily moving on.
Gradually growing in faith and learning to move farther from fear.
Surrendering to what is, and making peace with what was.
After all, surviving may bring scars, but it is the process of overcoming that makes you a survivor.
This year’s event is extra special because I am honored to be featured as one of the “Faces of Cancer” at Lurie’s virtual Cancer Survivors’ Celebration.