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Survivorship Day 2010

Cancer Center Celebrates Third Annual Survivorship Day

Survivorship ... it is a journey that begins at the very moment of cancer diagnosis and continues with you, forever. On June 9th, 2010, survivors and their loved ones, along with yellow-clad caregivers and staff of the Cancer Center at Lowell General filled Clark Auditorium for the 3rd Annual Survivorship Day celebration.

Survivorship Day 2010Claudia Rupp, director of Cancer Services, addressed the crowd of more than 100 people who gathered, “Today your courage and strength, together with our team, stand together side by side to help support your mission – the mission to continue to live and thrive regardless of your diagnosis.”

Photo caption: Through celebration of survivorship and sharing, attendees were reminded that they are not alone.

With spirit, hope and encouragement, the evening featured dinner, music, a display of paintings done by those in the Healing Through Art program, and helpful information for living with cancer. Stories of inspiration in the words of cancer survivors were also on display; as a way to celebrate the unique journey each is traveling. Guests enjoyed chair massages, trying out temporary tattoos, face painting, and raffle prize drawings that had everyone cheering. Gift bags and handmade pillows were provided to each survivor.

Helen Sullivan and FamilyThrough celebration of survivorship and sharing, attendees were reminded that they are not alone; that fear and pain may be part of the road traveled, but there is also hope, faith, courage and strength. In the words of non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor Madeline Stone, “Cancer can be a bump in the road with many miles ahead to look forward to.” Other guest speakers included Helen Sullivan and Katy VanDyne, each sharing their own words of encouragement.

Photo caption: Helen Sullivan (at right) celebrates her three year survivorship with stage 4 breast cancer along with her husband, Karl Hanson, and nephew, David McSweeney. Helen shared words of inspiration “I will live long and I will live well. And while there are fears and pain, there is also hope, faith, courage and strength.”

A beautiful luminary service led by Jean Brown, RN, of the Sisters of Charity, concluded the evening to bring a calm peace to all attendees, and sent them on their way filled with love, thanks, courage and hope.

Linda Trudel and FamilyA special thank you goes out to Monica Buckley, RN, MSN, OCN who initiated the event in 2007 and served as the event chair for the past three years. Through the efforts of the Survivorship Day planning team at the Cancer Center, survivors had an evening that would bring a positive aspect to the fight against cancer and celebrate their wonderful spirit of courage and strength or our patients.

Photo caption: Bringing loved ones together with caregivers is an important part of the celebration of survivorship. Radiant survivor Linda Trudel (front, center) celebrated the evening surrounded by her family.

Special thanks to Sodexo, the food services provider at Lowell General Hospital, who contributed the dinner and refreshments for this event.

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