Wishing All a Celebratory and Hopeful National Cancer Survivors Day!
- Abdominal Cancers Alliance
- 6 days ago
- 2 min read
June 1, 2025
“...always remember you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think…”
I know this is a line from Winnie the Pooh that most readers are probably all too familiar with. And it is practically cliche inspirational-Facebook-meme fodder… But as a fan of Winnie the Pooh from a young age, this line still holds a special little place for me. While it may not be the most poetic line in the Winnie the Pooh archive - indeed it is not the characteristic chemistry of the youthful-somehow-wizened naivete of A. A. Milne’s characters - its bluntness can be a useful cudgel to draw us back into perspective when on the [frankly] ever-disorienting journey that is cancer.
If memory serves me correctly, this print was given to me shortly after I was diagnosed with appendix cancer in late 2018. Other than appreciating its call-back to my childhood, it sat on a shelf for a while and I thought somewhat little of it. But it was some time until I appreciated its message.
That came about one year ago. In my new role with PFCCAP / the Alliance, I was new to spending numerous hours of every week talking with patients and caregivers, and I was struck by the weight that this community of survivors and caregivers carries. We shared our stories, our challenges, our observations and dreams of how to make life a little better in the face of these cancers. The themes that have tied those interactions together were the bravery of the patients to wade into the fear of diagnosis and treatment; the strength of patients and caregivers alike to weather the challenges of dealing with cancer, on top of everything else that life has to balance; and the wisdom to navigate the mire that is understanding a rare and advanced cancer diagnosis and how to advocate for oneself or a loved one.
That print still sits on a shelf. But now it sits on one where I see it often. It no longer just conjures my childhood memories watching Winnie the Pooh with my parents - and, these days, doing so with my young daughter - but it is fused in my consciousness with what it means to be a cancer survivor. It reminds me that we patients and survivors are more than our diagnosis.
It reminds me that despite the scary realities, the burdens, and the complications of dealing with cancer; we are braver than we believe, stronger than we seem, and smarter than we think.
Of course, this is just one cancer survivor’s musings. Many others have shared their stories of hope with the world. Read and listen to their stories here and share their tales of triumph over cancer!
This National Cancer Survivors Day, I hope that all survivors can allow themselves a little youthful-somehow-wizened bit of advice from a silly old bear and his friends. Let us celebrate the lives of every cancer survivor this day and every day! Together, we can make a difference.
With love and hope,
Bo Plantz
Executive Director
