My name is Nancy G. I am a survivor of anal cancer, March 2015 at the age of 74.

I had been fighting an anal fissure for six months and was sent to a surgeon for surgery to correct the problem. I met with the surgeon and he confirmed I needed surgery and that he was 99% sure there was no cancer. Three weeks later I had surgery and I had cancer. 

After chemo and radiation there is no evidence of cancer. I did not know much about cancer, but for my type of cancer there was only one type of treatment. 

In 2013 Nevada was the fourth state in the nation to prohibit minors under 18 from using indoor tanning devices. NRS 597 outlines the law's key requirements, which include posting both notices and warnings about the risks of indoor tanning, requiring customers to sign a form acknowledging the risks of indoor tanning, and as mentioned, prohibiting minors from using the devices. It was a victory for NCC and other cancer control partners and numerous legislative sessions working to pass the law.

From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): 

More than a year ago, NCC brought together partners from across the state to form a task force focusing on survivorship and palliative care. That first meeting was a hit, and partners were thrilled to be working together on a portion of the cancer continuum that's so vital yet we felt was a weak point for our state. Shortly after, NCC staff and our counterpart at the State of Nevada Comprehensive Cancer Control Program attended the National Cancer Survivorship Research Conference in Washington D.C. and learned that Nevada wasn't behind at all.

“It is the best thing you will ever do for yourself. And the trainers—they are amazing. They are just great no matter what type of cancer you have. They’re just great! It’s a huge resource.”

“A lot of it is recuperative care rather than just muscle building.”

These are just a few of the comments shared with NCC during our survivor focus groups, each praising the Cancer Rehabilitation Program at the Saint Mary’s Fitness Center in Reno.

During Spring 2017 NCC hosted a series of focus groups with cancer survivors to learn more about their experiences: both negative and positive. One program that elicited positive feedback which resulted in several participants planning to enroll in the program was Cancer: Thriving and Surviving. This evidence-based six-week workshop developed by the Stanford University School of Medicine is offered in both Reno and Las Vegas. Our hope is that with greater enrollment the program could spread to additional communities and locations throughout the state.

My name is Sharon Nagel. I am a survivor of two different cancers.

I was diagnosed with the first cancer in 1979 when I was 23 years old. One morning I awoke with an egg-sized lump in my neck that turned out to be thyroid cancer. I was a single mother of two children under 5 years old and had no insurance. After two surgeries and countless medical bills, I had to file bankruptcy because I was unable to work for almost a year.

Have you ever been reading a report on cancer or looked for cancer data and when you got to Nevada you found that there was footnote, “Data not available”? Usually this is joined by, “Rates are not shown if the state did not meet USCS publication criteria or if the state did not submit data to the CDC.”

by Christine Thompson

Most of us of Nevadans – nearly 85 percent to be exact – don’t smoke. We appreciate working and eating and being entertained in the clean air environments that (most) workplaces and public venues are required by state law to provide. Some companies go even further to explicitly prohibit tobacco use and/or vaping in company vehicles, on company grounds, or during work-related events.

June 4 is National Cancer Survivors Day, an opportunity to focus on celebrating the many cancer survivors, recognizing the abundance of life after cancer, and promoting quality of life for anyone diagnosed with cancer. We’re using the day to kick off a full month of posts and information about cancer survivorship, starting with LIVESTRONG at the Y.

First, Michael Wranick shares his LIVESTRONG at the Y story. Scroll down after Michael’s story to read more about the LIVESTRONG at the Y program.