World Cancer Day was yesterday, February 4th. The goal of World Cancer Day is to increase awareness of cancer and to encourage its prevention, early detection, and treatment. Every year there is a theme. This year, the theme for World Cancer Day 2019 is – ‘I am and I will.’
Although there have been tremendous gains in cancer care, the estimated number of deaths due to cancer in 2018 was 9.5 million, which amounts to an about 26,000 deaths a day. This number is expected to increase as environmental stresses increase; air quality worsens, lifestyles and eating habits too!
As a Brain Cancer patient, my world was rocked to its core when I was diagnosed on November 24, 2014. Today, I am grateful that I can say, I am a cancer survivor. I am not 100% of where I was before my diagnosis, but I am doing well and working every day to improve.
Every day I am grateful to be here and for the care that I received at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center where they saved my life. I am forever thankful to my husband who was my rock, my family, friends, and colleagues who prayed for me and helped me get through the most challenging time of my life.
Anyone who has ever been told ‘you have cancer’ knows that the world as you have known it is changed forever. For survivors, the thought of cancer is never far from our minds. We are always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Many fight the good fight and recover, but we all know people who fought the battle but lost the war. For all of them, we say a silent prayer.
There are many things that we can all do to prevent cancer;
- Eat well
- Get your rest
- Reduce stress
- Stay active
- Get your annual physical and schedule screening tests so that cancer can be detected early and treated.
If you have never had cancer, I hope you never have experience, but if you do, know there is hope and dedicated professionals who will help you on your journey. For all survivors, continued success!
Thank you for reading this week’s Blog Post. Stay well!
thank you for sharing this I will share it amongst my colleagues, and friends. As nurses, we must advocate for patients that is one of our key roles, however too many of us do not take the time to care for ourselves. I am going to post this to healthy Nurse Healthy Nation FB and hope they also help spread the word of the importance of self care, and more importantly stepping into the new role of Nurse Advocate, in a health care system that has become more complex and difficult for patients and families to navigate on their own. Especially the elderly, underserved populations. Systems need to understand how valuable Certification is for Case Managers, Nurse Advocates, and how this does make a difference in transitions of care for all patients at all levels of care.
Thanks Linda! I am with you 100%!
Congratulations, Anne. You are an amazing woman. I am blessed and fortunate to know you.
Thanks, Julie!