Vol 2 No. 6: I don’t call myself a “survivor”—but I study survivorship
Brought to you by
Dear Thriver,
Did you know that since 1988, the first Sunday of June has been marked as National Cancer Survivors Day?
I was diagnosed in March 2016, and that year, on the first Sunday of June, I was in the middle of radiation treatment. I remember thinking—"this day didn’t apply to me”.
As someone who has been diagnosed with cancer—and now researches it—I’ve come to realize I sit in a unique space.
I don’t see myself as a “survivor.”
And yet, survivorship is the focus of my work.
In this issue of The Digest, I’m untangling these terms—and trying to make sense of what they mean to me as both a patient and a researcher.
With gratitude,
Words matter: A video on “survivor” and how we make sense of it in cancer spaces
The word “survivor” is widely used in cancer—but it doesn’t always feel like it fits. In this video, I share my own experience alongside research exploring how people with colorectal cancer relate to this word—highlighting the different meanings it can hold depending on where someone is in their journey.
The Digest: How people with colorectal cancer relate to the word “survivor”
Year published: March 2021
Why this research: This study was grounded in a simple question: the word survivor is used so widely in cancer—what was my problem with? Over time, I realized I wasn’t the only one. I saw similar perspectives—but anecdote wasn’t enough. I wanted a systematic way to understand how people with colorectal cancer actually relate to this word.
How we did this research: We conducted an online survey of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer across Canada—including those in treatment and those who had completed treatment—to understand how they relate to the term “cancer survivor,” and invited participants to share their perspectives in their own words.
Want to see where different perspectives on “survivor” show up across the colorectal cancer journey? Explore the study infographic here.
I also digest the study in a new YouTube video.
Interested in this research? Reach out to us here for more information and discussion.
The history of “survivor” and “survivorship” in cancer
What thrivers ❤️ about the Digest
"THANK YOU so much for this letter! It came to me at the perfect moment and I read every word and followed every link. But I also really appreciated the summaries both in words and pictures..."
"...Thanks for this information as I have followed you for the past six years and still hope to."
Missed a past issue? No stress.
Every Digest we’ve published lives in one place, so you can catch up anytime — whether you joined yesterday or have been with us from day one.
That's it for today!
👋 Before you go, we'd love to know what you thought of today's newsletter to help us improve the Digest experience for you.
Hit reply to let us know. Was it too hard to follow? Too long, didn't read it all? Leave you with more questions? Let us know! We read every response.
Talk soon,
Mary, Alexander, and Joy — The Colorectal Cancer Research Digest editorial team
