Cancer Patients and Survivors Celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day

Cancer patients and survivors celebrated National Cancer Survivor Day today from 10 a.m. to noon in the lobby of Shannon Medical Plaza. The event was a joint venture between the Regional Cancer Treatment Center (RCTC) and Shannon Medical Center. Dozens of participants in the event came and went throughout the celebration including doctors, nurses, patients, survivors, and their families. Most of those present simply relaxed and had friendly conversations while the RCTC and Shannon staff served refreshments; the atmosphere of the event had qualities of thankfulness, quiet bravery, and a celebration of life.

 “[The event] is a time for cancer survivors’ friends and family to come join us to celebrate survivorship,” RCTC manager Misty Sonnenberg said. “[It’s purpose is] to give them a network of people who have already gone through cancer to contact for resources down the line and kind of take a break from their cancer diagnosis. It’s just for them to relax… and enjoy a little bit of fellowship between families that have gone through the same thing.”

National Cancer Survivor Day was technically on Sunday, but Shannon and RCTC chose to hold the event Tuesday as they are open on that day. According to Sonnenberg, this is the third year that this event was held in Shannon Medical Plaza in celebration of that day.