I’ve had a hard time feeling like a survivor through much of this process. I was worried about calling myself a survivor. What does it really mean? My cancer is in remission. It shouldn’t come back… …but it could. What about people that have other forms of Lymphoma or other blood cancers that require a lifetime of maintenance treatment. Are they “survivors?”
The answer is YES.
From the minute you are diagnosed and start fighting back, you are a survivor. Whether the cancer comes back or not doesn’t matter. Whether you’re in treatment or not doesn’t matter. Whether you’re in a permanent or a temporary remission doesn’t matter. Whether you need treatment the rest of your life or not, you are a survivor.
I was really worried about this definition. I’ve walked alongside so many people in this process that aren’t as fortunate as me today. They aren’t in remission. Their cancer isn’t “curable.” They’re still in ongoing treatment. But they are all survivors and today we celebrate…