Article: Magna Carta Cape Town Image: Getty

Cancer Survivors' Day has become an event that brings people living with cancer together to celebrate survivorship in an affirmation that life after a cancer diagnosis can be lived fully, with purpose and enthusiasm.

Anyone who feels they are a survivor is most welcome to attend, whether they have been recently diagnosed or not – survivorship is a state of mind, not a length of time!

The concept of a Cancer Survivors' Day began in the USA. 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.

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:

Cape Town
Date: 16 August 2008
Time: 9h30 for 10h00
Venue: Old Mutual Business School in Pinelands
Speaker: Patricia de Lille
Contact: Elodea, T: (021) 949 4060

George
Date: 16 August 2008
Time: 9h30 for 10h00
Venue: ATKF Walvissaal, Perdekraalweg, Haartenbos
Speaker: Ettienne Lombaard (motivational speaker and cancer survivor)
Contact: Anna or Edna, T: (044) 884 0705

Port Elizabeth
Date: 9 August 2008
Time: 9h00 for 9h30
Venue: Eastcape Training Centre (ETC), Spondo Street, Algoa Park (next to the Dora Nginza Hospital)
Speaker: Advocate Sharon Loops (two times cancer survivor and women's rights advocate)
Contact: Ronel, T: (041) 373 6533

Nelspruit
Date: 23 August 2008
Time: 9h30 for 10h00
Venue: The Nelspruit Botanical Gardens
Speaker: Hein Wagner
Contact: Eldorette, T: (013) 759 0800