National Cancer Survivors Day.

Today is National Cancer Survivors Day.

A year ago today, I did not know that cancer was growing inside me and that it had already spread to my sternum, pelvis, and spine. I would learn this about 2 weeks later. With this news, my life would turn completely around. I stopped worrying about what parts I would dance next year and started worrying about whether I would even be able to dance next year. I am very happy to say that I can still dance and thanks to my great medical team, my cancer is presently at bay.

Cancer makes one aware of just how precious life, family, and friends are; that small annoyances are not worth fussing over. I am grateful for the support I have received from people near and far; for the many new friends I have made; for people who have come back into my life.

Today I celebrate life along with my fellow cancer survivors and hope that a cure is found for stage 4 breast cancer before my cancer returns. While early stages of breast cancer can be treated successfully, almost all of us with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer will eventually die from the disease. The popular breast cancer fundraising movements give on average,only 2% of their research funds to researching metastatic breast cancer even though 30% of patients diagnosed with earlier stage breast cancer will eventually develop stage 4 breast cancer and die. Before giving, please research any breast cancer fundraising organization and donate to those funding actual metastatic research, not just awareness and early detection. I am proud to belong to METAvivor Research and Support Inc., where 100% of donations go to metastatic breast cancer research.

The pictures show the different looks I had throughout this past year. I wonder what next year's looks will be.