A Celebration for Survivors of Cancer
Heather Reneau
Today, the Belize Cancer Society hosted cancer survivors at a luncheon to celebrate their milestone being cancer free. The participants, from various backgrounds, shared their personal stories and the significance of this celebration. News Five stopped in at the Cancer Center for today’s event:
Heather Reneau, Senior Administrator, Belize Cancer Society
“Today we are having a survivors luncheon and it is a celebration of the life of our cancer survivors. All the persons who have beaten breast cancer and all cancers in general. We celebrate them today. We honor them today and we have created an afternoon of enjoyment, and music and eating and fun where they can interact with each other. So, I am sure that they thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon. Listening to these women and speaking to others, we found out the strength and the hope that these women have. You know, the courage that they have battled and beat this disease. For all the ones we have lost and all the ones that are newly diagnosed, you know we look at these women who have survived it and you know that there is hope. Although you might not find a cure for all cancers, there is hope of survivorship.”
Deborah Alvarado
Deborah Alvarado, Cancer Survivor
“I thank God that I have overcome it nineteen years now and I am still going at it. When I think of my life and all those who survived it and all those who didn’t survive it. When I look at my life with all my children getting older, I have to say thank God I am here standing to tell other women about cancer. If I can survive, they can survive also. Back in the days, nineteen years ago you didn’t hear women talking about breast cancer, but now it seems like more women are coming out. Because having breast cancer is not a life sentence. Once you find out there is something wrong with your breast, get it checked out. And don’t wait and say I don’t want to know because you will live to regret it if you say you don’t want to know. I thank God I didn’t say you know what I don’t want to know. I want to know what happened to me because I realized if I die what would happen to my nine children that I left behind. And those were the things that I fight for to survive. We have come a very long way because nineteen years ago, you had two options go to Guatemala or Merida. Now we have a cancer center in Dangriga now. So, now that we know that we can now afford to get our treatment, so we cannot say we don’t have any money, money ain’t everything. Once you decided to take the first step and get help, God will take the way after that. I will tell all the women don’t give up. Never give up. I am aliving proof of never giving up.”
