Cancer Survivors, Families and Friends to Unite for 20th Annual National Cancer Survivors Day Celebration

Thursday, May 17, 2007

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Cancer survivors, their families and friends from around the region and nation will unite to celebrate life during the 20th Annual National Cancer Survivors Day Celebration on Sunday, June 3, 2007, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Mayo Civic Center, 30 Civic Center Drive S.E. in Rochester. National Cancer Survivors Day is an annual event that is held in more than 700 communities around the world, including the United States and Canada.

The free celebration will include a lunch catered by the Canadian Honker at 11:30 a.m., followed by a program to celebrate and honor cancer survivors at 12:30 p.m. Activities include local entertainment, kids' games, music, bingo and door prizes. This year's theme is "A North Woods Adventure."

"This celebration of life is for everyone," says Janine Kokal, local planning committee chair and a Mayo Clinic nurse educator. "Whether you're a cancer survivor, a family member, a friend or a medical professional, National Cancer Survivors Day provides an opportunity for cancer survivors to connect with other survivors, and reunite with medical staff and families whom they've met along the way. Having the opportunity to meet other cancer survivors — especially the many long-term survivors — is truly an inspiring experience for all of us."

The local event is sponsored by Mayo Clinic Cancer Center and the American Cancer Society. More than 500 people are expected to attend again this year.

Reservations are required by May 28, 2007. To register, call the American Cancer Society at 507-424-4602 or 1-888-535-4227 (toll free).

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About Mayo Clinic

Mayo Clinic is the first and largest integrated, not-for-profit group practice in the world. Doctors from every medical specialty work together to care for patients, joined by common systems and a philosophy of "the needs of the patient come first." More than 3,300 physicians, scientists and researchers and 46,000 allied health staff work at Mayo Clinic, which has sites in Rochester, Minn., Jacksonville, Fla., and Scottsdale/Phoenix, Ariz. Collectively, the three locations treat more than half a million people each year. To obtain the latest news releases from Mayo Clinic, go to www.mayoclinic.org/news. For information about research and education visit www.mayo.edu. MayoClinic.com is available as a resource for your health stories.