Defining a Survivor
A recent breast cancer survivor inspires another with her thoughts on how you mark how long you've been a survivor.
To my sister survivor:
I had this question myself not long after I was diagnosed. I was shopping online for a pink ribbon magnet. The site I was on had two to chose from... one said "Survivor", and the other was plain. They were out of stock of the plain. I was still 'in treatment' and didn't think I should get the one that said survivor. My 14-year-old daughter saw what I was doing and told me to buy the survivor one. She said I was. I couldn't really get that... so I actually looked up "survivor". Here is the definition I found:
sur·vi·vor (sər vī′vər) noun: a person or thing that survives; specif., a person who has survived an ordeal or great misfortune a person regarded as resilient or courageous enough to be able to overcome hardship, misfortune, etc.
I now have come to see myself as a survivor, from the day my husband found my lump. From that day, my life changed and I continue to overcome - therefore I am... and you are... a survivor.
- Carla