National Cancer Survivors Day is a celebration of life

Established in 1988, National Cancer Survivors Day (NCSD) honors survivors, inspires the newly diagnosed, and supports families and caregivers. It promotes awareness of the survivorship journey and advocates for continued cancer research and improved treatments. Significant advancements in cancer treatment have led to higher survival rates, with the University of Colorado Health reporting notably higher five-year survival rates for several cancers compared to national averages. Wells Messersmith, MD, associate director of clinical services at CU Cancer Center, emphasizes the importance of these outcomes. “Seeing that our survival rates are higher is certainly a point of pride… It’s one of the biggest things that patients are concerned about. They want to survive more than five years,” says Messersmith.