Cancer Survivors' Day celebrates "Living Creatively"

The concept of a Cancer Survivors' Day began in the USA, where it is celebrated in June. Survivors' Day in South Africa is now a well established event, and has been registered on the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation website www.ncsdf.org along with several other countries world wide. Cancer Survivor's Day events take place in Nelspruit, Port Elizabeth, George and Cape Town during Cancer Awareness Month, which is August (details of these events are listed below).

The programme for these events is exciting and emphasises the theme of “Living Creatively”. There will be special guest speakers and ample opportunity to share with other survivors and to swap “coping tips”. Light refreshments will also be served.

Thanks to kind sponsorship from many generous donors including Medi-Clinic and GVI Oncology, there is no charge for people to attend Survivors' Day. People who would like to attend are urged to refer to the list at the end of this article and call the contact in their areas during working hours as seating is limited. Those who would like to make a donation when they attend the event are invited to contribute to the People Living with Cancer group.

In order to raise additional awareness for Cancer in the community, the GVI Oncology staff will be embarking on a cycle tour that will begin in PE and end in Cape Town, passing through Jeffreys Bay, Plettenberg Bay, George, Riversdal, Swellendam, Robertson and Paarl.

The cycle tour will kick off at the Port Elizabeth Cancer Survivor's Day celebrations on Saturday the 9th of August and will end at the Cape Town Cancer Survivor's Day celebrations on Saturday the 16th of August. GVI Oncology would like to reach communities all along the route spreading the message of Survivorship.

The message which our cyclists will carry to each town on their journey is:

• Cancer is a chronic disease and people living with cancer can still lead full, productive lives despite the challenges they face.
• To raise awareness that early detection and comprehensive treatment remains the best way to fight cancer.
• To inform communities about new Non Governmental Organisation, People Living with Cancer with its buddy support network. See www.plwc.co.za

Two information sessions will be held en route providing expert talks to the community by both an oncologist and a cancer survivor. They will discuss cancer as an illness and how it can be beaten. The concept of cancer survivorship will be highlighted, with suggestions for living life fully despite being diagnosed with cancer.

Schedule of events:

Location	Venue	Date	Time	Speaker	Contact
Cape Town	Old Mutual Business School in Pinelands	16 August 2008	9h30 for 10h00	Patricia de Lille	Elodea: T: (021) 949 4060
George	ATKF Walvissaal, Perdekraalweg, Haartenbos	16 August 2008	9h30 for 10h00	Ettienne Lombaard (motivational speaker and cancer survivor)	Anna or Edna: T: (044) 884 0705
Port Elizabeth	Eastcape Training Centre (ETC), Spondo Street, Algoa Park (next to the Dora Nginza Hospital)	9 August 2008	9h00 for 9h30	Advocate Sharon Loops (two times cancer survivor and women's rights advocate)	Ronel: T: (041) 373 6533
Nelspruit	The Nelspruit Botanical Gardens	23 August 2008	9:30 for 10h00	Hein Wagner	Eldorette: (013) 759 0800