We at St. Bernards have invited our cancer patients and their families to join us for a fun celebration of National Cancer Survivors’ Day on Sunday, June 5.
Our event – always held on the first Sunday of June – will be one of many held in hundreds of communities nationwide and around the world. The first National Cancer Survivors’ Day was held on June 5, 1988.
This celebration of life is dedicated to those who have survived cancer and serve as an inspiration for many who recently have been diagnosed with cancer, showing the world that life after a cancer diagnosis can be fruitful and regarding.
It is the perfect time for people living with a history of cancer to connect with each other, to celebrate milestones and to recognize those who have supported them along the way. It also is a day during which we acknowledge the ongoing challenges of cancer survivorship.
There are more than 100 types of cancer that can cause cells in various parts of our bodies to grow out of control, though the most common types are cancers of the breast, skin, lung, colon, prostate and bladder. Our patients have access to some of the most sophisticated diagnostic testing and treatment available anywhere.
Patients also have a promise from our cancer care team that when they receive a diagnosis of cancer, within three days of that diagnosis, our cancer team and oncologists will be back in touch with treatment options – such as chemotherapy, radiation and/or surgery. That helps patients deal with uncertainties about “next steps” in terms of battling cancer.
In addition, we have special cancer navigators to guide patients through what often seems to be a complicated healthcare system. They are there to hold your hand, to help you find answers, to schedule appointments, to help you coordinate, to provide information and education and to help you find resources and support you may need.
St. Bernards was the first cancer treatment developed in this region and is the only medical center in Northeast Arkansas with two board certified radiation oncologists on staff. Soon we will add a third. We also have three medical oncologists who direct care of patients.
In the coming months, we will be consolidating all of our cancer services in a convenient, single location on the main medical center campus at 225 East Jackson Avenue. Work is well underway to enlarge and improve the Ben E. Owens Cancer Treatment Center, and we look forward to seeing our patients in the beautiful, new, all-inclusive treatment center this fall.
If you can’t join us on June 5 to Celebrate National Cancer Survivors’ Day, we hope you will make it a point to help cancer survivors you know celebrate life.
