Celebrating Cancer Survivors
Gala of Hope seeks to help turn more cancer patients into cancer survivors in the Dayton region, funding treatment and care through our local cancer care community. A cancer patient can hear no better words than, “you are cancer-free!” We celebrate survivors each day of the year, but we especially revel for every survivor on National Cancer Survivors Day, the first Sunday of June.
You can help us turn more patients into survivors by donating here.
Read the stories of these survivors:
Bobbie discovered she had breast cancer just a few weeks after her husband’s death. While she was battling through grief, she also had to battle for her life, keeping depression and anxiety from overwhelming her. But she overcame through treatment and weekly exercise therapy that improved body, mind and spirit. “Right now my greatest accomplishment is that I made it through the death of my husband and the cancer treatment and am still here.”
Becky faced two bouts of breast cancer, first in 2002 and then in 2015. Thanks to a great physician, changes in lifestyle and some alternative therapy, she has been cancer free since 2017. Even now, at almost 70 years of age, she feels stronger and more energetic. “So thankful for the great team that supported me.”
Nadia knew there was a history of cancer in her family, but the discovery of her own still shook her. Not only did she have breast cancer, but confirmed stage 4 breast cancer. She knew she was in a fight for her life, but she chose to be positive and hopeful, followed all treatment regimens, made lifestyle and diet changes and surrounded herself with family support. One year later, she was in remission and still celebrates being cancer free.
Jen (with her husband, Jeff) faced Stage 3 bladder cancer in 2013, but took it on with a vengeance. Her treatment—6 months of chemo followed by surgery and 8 more weeks of recovery—even took her out of state, adding home sickness and separation from support networks to her stress. “Hope came from faith in God, the support of family and friends, confidence in my doctors and surgeons, and mostly my boys at home, focusing on getting healthy to be mom.” She is celebrating almost 9 years cancer free!