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Celebrating Good News About Cancer Survival

Did you know that overall cancer death rates have been steadily declining since the 1990s? This means the number of cancer survivors has increased. National Cancer Survivors Day^® on June 5 honored these individuals and those who care for them. 

For 35 years, the first Sunday in June has been a time to celebrate all cancer survivors, inspire those recently diagnosed, support their families, and raise awareness in the community. There are over 43 million cancer survivors worldwide and nearly 17 million live in the United States. According to the nonprofit 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.” 

Foundation spokesperson Laura Shipp explains the impact a diagnosis can have. “As many cancer survivors will tell you, the effects of cancer don’t end when treatment does. Cancer survivors face ongoing, often long-lasting, hardships because of their disease.” Some of those additional hardships include rising medical costs paired with inadequate insurance coverage, difficulty finding or keeping employment, and ongoing physical, psychological, and financial struggles. 

With the number of cancer survivors projected to increase to 22.2 million by 2030 and an expectation that almost 40% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point during their life, recognizing and supporting survivors grows in importance every year. National Cancer Survivors Day is a concerted effort to advocate for further research, more resources, and increased public awareness to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life.  

But, Shipp adds, “It is also a day to celebrate. Cancer mortality rates continue to decline, and cancer survivors are living longer than ever before. While we know there’s more work to do, the Foundation wants to set aside this one day for cancer survivors to celebrate life. It can be complicated and chaotic at times. But life after cancer can also be beautiful, meaningful, and triumphant. And that is something to celebrate.” 

The National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation encourages everyone — survivors, caregivers, healthcare professionals, families and friends — to have their own celebration. Activity ideas and resources, including those for survivorship, are available on the National Cancer Survivors Day website, ncsd.org. 

Here at Family Home Health, we share the joy of cancer survivors and their loved ones. Our skilled nursing team provides in-home care for cancer patients as directed by their physicians. Let us know how we can help you or a loved one recover.