Tri-County celebrates National Cancer Survivors Day

Hundreds gathered at the Charleston Elks Lodge on Cosgrove Avenue to celebrate surviving cancer and raise awareness about the deadly disease.

Survivors like Erik Simao, who has been cancer free for 5 years, shared tables with other like Cindy Hall who just got diagnosed this past year.  Hall also has a daughter with cancer so Simao has been acting as an example to Hall’s family.

Cancer is the number 2 killer behind heart disease in the U.S.  According to the Jimmy V Foundation 1 out of 2 men and 1 out of 3 women will be diagnosed with some form of cancer.  In fact a new person is diagnosed with cancer every minute.

But while cancer awareness is a constant effort, researchers say the death rate has fallen steadily over the past 15 years thanks in large part to early detection.

To learn more about the Tri-County Cancer Survivors network visit their website http://www.tricountysurvivors.org