Somebody asked me when is my anniversary and I really don't know.

OldGuy

Do we use the day of diagnosis, end of treatment, or after a year out? Never really thought about it.

po18guy

07/17/2015. It was on that day that I was medically killed, my marrow ablated, blood counts flat-lined and I received a donor's stem cells. My blood type changed and other, as yet unknown factors have also changed.

JaneA

I use the date that I was officially diagnosed as Stage IV - October 2, 2014. A day that will live in infamy. That was two weeks after the biopsy from my colonoscopy confirmed cancer and after my staging scans. I never in my wildest imagination was expecting to be Stage IV at diagnosis.

GregP_WN

Like Ms. Jane, I have always used the date diagnosed. The American Cancer Society says that we are a cancer survivor from the day we are diagnosed until we die. So I use that, like PO, there are a lot of dates to keep up with if you have multiple diagnoses.

Bengal

The date that I always will remember is the day my PCP called to inform me there was "something" showing up on my annual mammogram and they wanted me back. It was my birthday! Everything after that is kind of a blur.

As for the definition of "survivor", I take strong exception to having labels imposed upon me . I think that's something each person diagnosed with cancer should get to decide for themself.

BoiseB

I have several Cancer Anniversaries I celebrate the day I was diagnosed, the day I first began treatment and every successful surgery(surgeon gets a Thank-you note). Some people celebrate end of Chemo and end of Radiation. In reality, I think most of celebrate every day we wake up alive.

BoiseB

About that survivor title. Today I called the mobile urgent care service because I had an earache for a week but I didn't want to go to urgent care because there is a lot of colds and flu that is not covered by the flu shot going around. The team came over and were taking a medical history. They asked the question "Are you healthy?" My son was there and he started laughing , "He said "She's not healthy she is a "survivor"

Lynne-I-Am

I use the date I finally finished my frontline chemo, When I was diagnosed in August of 2013 I had been misdiagnosed for almost seven months and was very bloated with ascites. I really did not think I would live much longer. I did not feel like a survivor. March 4th, 2014, I did.

meyati

my son's birthday is November 16. I left the exam room and went into the waiting room-on his birthday-and he asked me if I had the biopsy results yet. I had to say--it's a rare and incurable cancer. They want to cut the right side of my face off so I might live 5 years. I'm so sorry to ruin your birthday.

Now would you use that as your cancer anniversary? I finished an experimental radiation treatment on Valentine's Day 2013-a few months later. I am even cancer free. So what date would you use for your anniversary? VALENTINE'S DAY I think that I'll make my family take me out for this Valentine's Day..

cllinda

I use the date of my diagnosis as my anniversary.

BoiseB

There is one date I remember every year. It is April 1 2013. That is they date the Dr. told me cancer #2 would be back in 18 months. I made a bet that I would be cancer free on that date 5 years later. The Dr, bailed on that bet and quit the clinic to go into full-time research, OldGuy I think you should get up every day and celebrate it as a daily anniversary

BuckeyeShelby

I knew I had cancer in July 2012, as I was in recovery following hernia surgery. I don't use that date. Nor do I use the date I had my biopsy. My cancerversary is 8/23/12, which is the date of my hysterectomy and the day they were able to definitively stage my cancer as IV.

banditwalker

I use the date of surgery that removed the cancer.