June is National Cancer Survivor Month — a time to celebrate cancer survivors across the world.
This holiday is multifaceted, celebrated and interpreted differently by many different organizations and entities. The main focuses are to support both cancer survivors and cancer research as well as educate more about the disease and those who have had it.
There are currently 18 million cancer survivors living in the United States today, a number anticipated to grow in coming years. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, one in four survivors report poor physical health, and one in 10 report poor mental health. The AACR advocates for supporters and caregivers of cancer survivors to learn more about survivorship to help support survivors.
The AACR suggests that people voice their support by raising awareness, especially during the month of June. Using #CelebrateSurvivorship and #NationalCancerSurvivorMonth on social media to talk about National Cancer Survivor Month is one way to show support and speak out.
The National Cancer Institute also encourages people to learn more this month. The NCI’s Office of Cancer Survivorship suggests reading the stories of cancer survivors and caregivers to learn more about the topic.
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Many entities involved with National Cancer Survivor Month advocate for education and support of cancer survivors because of the importance of a strong support system during cancer recovery. Registry Partners, a clinical data management organization, stressed the significance of continued support after beating cancer.
Other groups encourage people to use the month as an opportunity to get tested for cancer. The Colorectal Cancer Alliance offers a free online colon cancer screening to assess individual risk factors. They also provide resources such as a helpline for cancer patients and their supporters.
To take further action, the AACR suggests reaching out to legislators to advocate for continued and prioritized cancer research. They also advocate for the Rally for Medical Research, a rally in Washington, D.C. that aims to support funding for medical research.
The AACR and NIC provide resources for further education during National Cancer Survivor Month. To learn more, check out the AACR Cancer Progress Report and the NCI’s cancer survivor statistics, along with their suggested reading, Developing National Cancer Survivorship Standards.
