National Cancer Survivors Day Celebrations Planned
CANCER CARE N.S.--National Cancer Survivors Day Celebrations Planned
A celebration of life, marking National Cancer Survivors Day, will be held on Sunday, June 6, at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax.
Presented by Cancer Care Nova Scotia, this is the third year a celebration has been held in Halifax. This year, the event takes place between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Admission is free and everyone is welcome.
"Cancer Survivors Day is about coming together as a community," said Rick Andrews, co-chair, National Cancer Survivors Day and a member of Cancer Care Nova Scotia's board of directors. "It's about celebrating life with those who are surviving their cancer. It's about recognizing the valuable support of family and friends. It's about paying tribute to those who have died. It's about understanding the important role of health professionals who provide cancer care and researchers who are working to understand the disease. Most importantly, Cancer Survivors Day is about hope for the future."
Terry Kelly, well-known Nova Scotia musician, cancer survivor and honourary event chair, will headline the afternoon's entertainment. He will be joined by Kendra MacGillivray, Ken Tobias, Halifax Elementary Girls' Honour Choir, Rhapsody Quintet and the Greene School of Irish Dance. CBC TV's Bruce Rainnee will be master of ceremonies.
The family-oriented afternoon will include a candle-lighting ceremony to honour those touched by cancer and a message of inspiration and hope delivered by Theresa Marie Underhill, a cancer survivor and chief operating officer of Cancer Care Nova Scotia.
"For me, Survivors Day puts everything in perspective," said Dr. Rob Grimshaw, gynecologic oncologist, Capital Health. "It reminds me why I do what I do. Last year I attended, not knowing what to expect. I was overwhelmed by the number of people who were there and the sense of community we shared.
"Sometimes it's easy to forget the big picture and to focus in on the challenges, but we all have reasons to celebrate and hope. Treatments are getting better. People are living longer and through research, we are learning more about cancer every day. Survivors Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate our successes."
National Cancer Survivors Day 2004 will be celebrated by thousands of people in communities throughout North America on Sunday, June 6. It's a day to honour those around the world who are living with a history of cancer. In Nova Scotia, the 28,000 people who are living with, living through or living beyond a cancer diagnosis are invited to participate in the event, as well as their families, friends and health providers.
Cancer Care Nova Scotia is a program of the Department of Health, created to reduce the burden of cancer on individuals, families, and the health care system through prevention, screening, education and research.