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Monthly Spotlights

Cancer Survivorship

surviving cancer

Advances in our understanding of cancer, and in our ability to detect and treat it, have led to greater survival rates for patients diagnosed with a form of the disease. As a result, there are approximately 12 million cancer survivors alive today in the United States, and millions more who have been touched by the disease as family members and friends.


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Survivor Stories

  • Caroline Bridges — Learning a "new normal"

    Caroline Bridges

    For Caroline Bridges, the hardest part about being diagnosed with leukemia during her sophomore year at Boston University was giving up her "normal" life.
    read more

  • Tom Sellers — Disease hits home for cancer executive

    Tom Sellers

    Tom Sellers, a senior executive for the American Cancer Society, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1998. He was already well acquainted with the cancer world through his work and the loss of his mother to the disease. That didn't stop him, however, from further analysis. read more

  • Margie Needelman — For transplant recipient, 20-year visit takes the cake

    Margie Needelman

    Margie Needelman, one of Dana-Farber's early autologous bone marrow transplant patients, was back at the Institute to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her transplant. read more

  • Molly and Russ O'Neill — One family, two heroes

    Molly and Russ O'Neill

    As she goes through treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia, this 11-year-old Jimmy Fund Clinic patient draws strength from her beloved big brother, an Army National Guard member stationed in Iraq. read more

  • Amy Woodbury — A wonderful life

    Amy and Anna Wodbury

    Amy Woodbury, a three-time cancer survivor at just 29, took steps during chemotherapy to preserve her fertility, and is now living a life she always wanted. read more

Cancer Survivorship Quiz

Of the 12 million cancer survivors in the U.S., how many were diagnosed more than 20 years ago?









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Cancer Survivorship Videos

screenshot from Dr. Lisa Diller video

Care providers and patients from Dana-Farber's Perini Family Survivors' Center address some of the issues facing cancer survivors today.

Survivorship Event

Living Proof logo

Living Proof: Celebrating Survivorship is an annual event designed to bring together survivors and their family members to honor the journey to cancer survivorship. This year's event will feature Thomas Sellers from the American Cancer Society as keynote speaker, among others. The event will take place June 19, 2008, at 6:30 p.m. with a gala reception immediately following.
Learn more
Register online

Ask the Expert

Members of Dana-Farber's Perini Family Survivors' Center have agreed to answer questions you may have about cancer survivorship.

Ask your question