Sharing Survivorship - National Cancer Survivors Month

By: Kris Kerlin

There is power in sharing your experiences with others, particularly when you have had an experience that someone else is just beginning. CanCare is founded on the power of sharing survivorship. In hospital treatment centers, patients light up when they realize the person they are visiting with is a cancer survivor or someone who has been on the cancer journey as a care giver. On the other end of the phone, volunteers listen empathetically, having experienced their own cancer journey. CanCare volunteers are symbols of hope. “Hope on feet”, as our lifetime board member Pat Hogan-Korge taught us.

During this month of National Cancer Survivors Month it has been a true honor to be out in the cancer community sharing the news of CanCare, celebrating survivors and those who love them, in hospitals around the city, churches around the country and synagogues. It has been a time of reconnecting with volunteers and community partners and introducing CanCare to people who didn’t know that there is emotional support available and that they don’t have to go through cancer alone. 

Eachof you reading this has a connection to cancer. You have some journey ofsurvivorship to share. Please let people who need us, know aboutus. Share your own journey and let them know about CanCare. Our brand new CanCare website is a good way to introduce CanCare tosomeone. We also have brochures and a postcard available to help you shareCanCare with your workplace, doctor’s office, church, synagogue, or anyonetouched by cancer that you can find HERE.  Wedo not want anyone to go through cancer alone and many people facing cancerstill do not know they have a choice.

Together, we are bringing hope and healing to the cancer community.

Please share your survivorship story with us at CanCare. Send us an email at heatherl@cancare.org to let us know what being a survivor or supporting a survivor as a caregiver means to you.

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