A: LIVESTRONG Day is the LIVESTRONG’s day of action to bring awareness to the global cancer crisis. LIVESTRONG Day is October 2, and this year more than 1500 local events will take place around the world to raise awareness for the fight against cancer.
"October 2, 1996. The day it all changed. The day I stated never to take anything for granted. The day I learned to take charge of my life. It was the day I was diagnosed with cancer." -Lance Armstrong
I don't really feel the same way about my diagnosis day. It certainly wasn't a "take charge attitude" sort of day. Maybe quiet acceptance in my case. Having said that, it seems appropriate enough to designate a day to raise awareness. Granted, the "cancer community" has a lot of these types of days, but, let's be honest: we need them all. I likely won't do much to mark my own diagnosis day, but I do have big plans for my remission day, and probably my last chemo day.
Due to extremely important travel planned months ago, Sarah and I are unable to attend a great local Livestrong event here in Denver. Our local group is putting on the 4th Annual Survivor Celebration & Glow Stick Vigil. For those of you in Colorado, I highly recommend it. More on this great event can be seen right now on the Livestrong Blog!
For those of you who aren't in Denver on 10/2 - there are other events you can do near by. Minimally, you can wear yellow. (Any yellow anything will do, but if you'd really like to get fancy, you can purchase some here or here or here or here or here. If you need a yellow bracelet - let us know.) Otherwise, do something to enjoy your life. Sarah and I are going to spend some time with our family, but in the morning, we're going to go for a little run near the lake at our old school. It is completely informal, but I'm going to wear a bunch of yellow, and I'm going to enjoy doing something that for months I couldn't.
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I ran in a 5K on Livestrong day, wearing a yellow shirt, a yellow Livestrong wristband, and carrying the names of people I know or know of who have survived or died from various cancers. I can't remember my exact diagnosis date, but it was in May 2002 - so every spring I reflect on surviving another year. And I mark December 9 as my remission date (two weeks after last chemo) and I always reflect on that day. And in 2012, I hope to run the Honolulu Marathon on that day to celebrate 10 years in remission. Art
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