A poignant and inspiring celebration
of life, Winthrop-University Hospital’s
12th Annual Cancer Survivors Day was
attended by nearly 400 cancer survivors,
their loved ones and Winthrop
staff. Held at the Long Island Marriott
on June 2, the life-affirming event
gathered all in a spirit of camaraderie
and joy.
“It is your courage and persistence
in complying with our often
rigorous treatments that inspire
and motivate us,” said Harry
Staszewski, MD, Chief of the Division
of Oncology/Hematology at Winthrop,
and the evening’s keynote speaker.
“Every year we look forward to this
evening as a chance to share your joy,
to meet with your families and watch
you interact with others who have
shared the same experiences. Your
stories of how you now look forward
to attending soccer games, graduations,
weddings, family reunions,
births of grandchildren or just going
to the store are heartwarming.”
The National Cancer Survivors
Day Foundation defines a “survivor”
as anyone living with a history of cancer
– from the moment of diagnosis
through the remainder of life. The
annual celebration applauds the
resilience of the human spirit, as well
as recognizes the significant strides
made in the fight against cancer.
Dr. Staszewski also thanked
Winthrop’s Administration and Board
of Directors for their support in pursuing
a plan for the aggressive expansion
of the cancer program’s facilities, services
and personnel over the next five
years. In treating cancer, he indicated
that “as exemplified by your large
attendance tonight, the outcomes will
be increasingly positive, the diagnosis
less feared, the treatments more and
more successful, and the side effects
less harsh.”
 Jeffrey Schneider, MD, Director of the Lung Cancer Center at
Patricia Schussler, LMSW, Division of Oncology/Hematology
at Winthrop (back row, second from right) shares the joy of
the evening with members of her support group at the
Hospital’s Cancer Survivors Day celebration.
Winthrop, treated Margaret Mathis, who related her story of survival to
more than 400 guests at the Hospital’s annual Cancer Survivors Day celebration.
Guest speaker and cancer survivor
Margaret Mathis shared her
story of survival and hope. First diagnosed
with melanoma in 2001 and
then in July 2003 with Stage IIIA nonsmall
cell lung cancer, over the course
of her journey Mrs. Mathis endured
surgeries, rounds of chemotherapy
and radiation. She praised her doctors
and the support given to her by the
entire Winthrop Cancer Care Team.
“Here I stand, years later,” she
said. “I have learned so much from
this experience and have met the
most amazing people along the way.”
The mother of three grown children,
Kelly, Brian and Michael, Mrs.
Mathis happily reported that since
her diagnosis, her daughter has gotten
married and is now expecting a
child – the first grandchild in the
family. Her son, Michael, was also
getting married in July – another
happy event. “This is what survivorship
means to me,” she said. She
thanked her children and her husband,
Bruce, who “has been with me
on the journey every step of the way.”
In addition to the dinner celebration,
which included dancing and raffle
prizes, Winthrop’s Institute for Cancer
Care sponsored an educational Cancer
Survivors Workshop on June 22. The
workshop addressed cancer survivorship
issues, stress management and
how sleep impacts survivorship.
The Institute for Cancer Care
offers the latest developments in the
diagnosis and treatment of a wide
range of cancers. The Institute’s
multidisciplinary staff closely collaborates
in order to offer the most
appropriate medical and support
services for patients.
For information about the
Institute for Cancer Care, visit
www.winthrop.org or call
1-866-WINTHROP
|
Vol. 20, No. 2
Summer/Fall 2010
Back to Publications
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