CSTAR

A truly meaningful honor has been conferred to us. I have been selected to receive the ASTRO Survivor Circle Award. ASTRO is the American Society for Radiation Oncology, which is basically the governing body for radiation based cancer treatment in the U.S. I kept the nomination process quiet, as I really didn’t know what chance there was to be selected. I don’t know how to describe the impact. Humbling.

The winner was to be notified by September 19th. As that day sprinted into view, sauntered on by, and disappeared limping over the horizon, it took hope with it. But Beth from ASTRO had other plans. Apparently, she’s not the kind of person bound by deadlines and obsolete “dates” (kidding!). She waited until my birthday, September 22nd, to notify me that I had been selected. It was a serendipitous coincidence.

To say I was happy is like saying the Columbus, OH chapter of our kin doesn’t care too much for USC (they spell it with an “F”?).
I told myself for weeks not to expect anything, and that just being considered was a great honor. I kept telling myself that I had no idea what decision process or criteria were. To learn however, that the award is decided by an at large vote of key members of ASTRO, deeply affected me. I have so much respect for the members of this organization, it felt very out of place to be honored by them. I am humbled by their benevolence.

I talked to Beth at ASTRO after she left me a message notifying me of the award. It was very clear that she is an amazing person with a genuine passion for cancer survivors. The phone call was truly a cathartic, as I relayed the details of our struggle with this disease, and she correlated the details of my experience with other people she has come in contact with in her 6 years at ASTRO.

I will be accepting the award on November 3rd at 0930 in a ceremony at McCormick Place. The ceremony takes place during ASTRO’s annual convention. If you would like to attend, please let me know and I will put your name on the guest list. Guests will also have the opportunity to tour the convention that day.

I can hardly describe how excited I am about this development. I’ve been involved with cancer related industry and activism quite a bit over the past few years, and I plan to use this recognition as an opportunity to increase the scope of this commitment. We’re already waist deep in the process, and its going to be exciting. I am being intentionally vague as we shape the details, but stay tuned for some exciting developments to follow. Soon!

Enjoy this. We’ve been through so much. It is critical to sit back and let the positivity saturate your being when you have the opportunity. Soak in the love: recognition by a group you respect and admire + the chance to acknowledge the amazing work done by oncology professionals + using the recognition to help other survivor teams = a fine day.

Force Multiplier.