I have participated as a walker in past years and have donated when friends or family members walked on teams.   Cancer was always a remote thing to me.  I had family members that were survivors, prostate, breast and skin cancer but I didn't have a personal relationship to the big "C". 

Then, April 27th, 2007 I was diagnosed with uterine cancer following a routine biopsy that was performed simply because my gynecologist felt it was better to err on the side of caution before another elective procedure.  She was as surprised by the results as I was.   

The walls of my life came crashing down.  I was lucky, it was an early diagnosis (Stage I)and a hysterectomy took care of it.  At the same time, my life is now made up of "before cancer" and "after cancer". 

 The depth of the bitterness I felt surprised me.  Therapy has helped me cope, but I still have a lingering feeling of needing to do something  besides wallow in my grief, anger, and fear. 

I am participating in Relay for Life as a committee member, as a team member and as a survivor this year.  I have learned that survivorship is an ongoing and very personal process.  Participating in the Relay for Life will enhance and improve mine.