I am a first time survivorship chair and this year we are really pushing not only for year-round survivor and caregiver engagement, but also for community education as to what the true definition of a survivor (and a caregiver, for that matter) is.  Many survivors in our area do not consider themselves to be survivors simply because they endured only one type of treatment-like surgery or radiation- but didn't lose their hair or have to be out of work for long or things like that.  Many caregivers do not consider themselves caregivers because the survivor in their lives was never bed-ridden or out of work.  Our greatest challenge this year is for survivors and caregivers to truly self-identify, and to know that we want to honor all those who have heard the words "You have cancer, " and those who have cared for them in any way, at our Relay- regardless of what type of treatments they have endured or care they gave.  Anyone else trying to go this route?  


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August 15, 2008 - 11:22am
If you have lived one day with cancer, you ARE a survivor

Hi Megan,

I SO agree with you.  My personal view is that everyone who has ever heard the words "you have cancer" is a survivor for the rest of their life.  There are many different types of treatments.  Sure, our hair doesn't always fall out, but as a thyroid cancer survivor I had to endure isolation for a week at a time, a damaged metabolism, and years of side effects including permanent salivary gland damage.

I'm a survivorship chair too, in Relay For Life of Second Life (check us out!  We rock!)  I brainstormed with my committee about these definitions a few months ago and here are the definitions we came up with for Survivor and Caregiver:

 Who is a cancer survivor?
A cancer survivor is anyone living with a history of cancer, from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life. If you have lived one day with cancer, you are a survivor.

Who is a cancer caregiver?
A cancer caregiver is anyone who is currently caring for or who has cared for someone with cancer, it includes friends and family as well as professional caregivers. If you have ever cared for someone with cancer, you are a caregiver.

(I'm sure I borrowed some of this from the ACS Cancer Survivors Network and to the best of my recollection it jibes with what I've read there and on other ACS sites)

 For more about Relay For Life of Second Life, see:  http://www.rflofsl.org/  (These definitions, and more, are in the "FAQ" section on the left)

Hope this helps!  I look forward to seeing what you come up with!  

Poppy


--

Poppy Zabelin, SL's Cancer Survivors Group



August 16, 2008 - 3:56pm
Poppy,  Thank you for your

Poppy,

 Thank you for your input! Who better than a survivor herself to give me these definitions! We hope to have lots of pictures and ideas to share, so I will surely keep you posted.

Thanks again!



August 18, 2008 - 9:30am