Speaker inspires audience at annual survivors dinner

By Miranda Baines

Published: May 13, 2008

For cancer survivors, each day is a gift. Every sunrise and every sunset is meaningful.

Cindy Farmer of Fox 8 Morning News encouraged the survivors to take pleasure in the simple things in life.

She spoke at a survivors dinner Tuesday evening at Rockingham County Middle School.

“There’s no better time than right now to be happy, to see the gifts that each day holds,” said Farmer. “God gives us so many (gifts) every day, but you can’t put off looking for them.”

Farmer’s outlook on life has changed since she was diagnosed with cancer 25 years ago, in her junior year of college.

It was at her mother’s office at Virginia Tech that she heard the three words that would forever change her world — “You have cancer.”

Farmer shared that her father encouraged her to have a positive attitude rather than hanging her head and feeling sorry for herself. The doctors caught Farmer’s cancer early, so her treatments were limited and she had a short recovery. But the diagnosis taught her the value of each day and how to look for God’s blessings.

While reading the Bible she came across Philippians 4, which she claims as her life mantra. Philippians 4:8 reads, “Whatsoever things are lovely…think on these things.”

After inspiring the audience to make the most of life, Farmer made a toast to the approximately 350 survivors. Farmer expressed her admiration to the survivors for their struggles and ultimate triumph.

“What these people went through, they’re the true warriors,” she said. She loves coming to Relay for Life because she said it’s a great “morale booster.”

Gerdia Keesee, a 14-year breast cancer survivor from Reidsville, has been participating in Relay for Life since it started in Rockingham County in 1996. She is walking the track at this year’s Relay with Zion Baptist Church’s team “Clownin’ for a Cure.” Keesee attends the survivor dinner each year because she loves the companionship.

“It’s camaraderie,” she said. “We all have a common bond and a common thread and we can relate to each other. We’ve either been through it or we’re going through it or we’re coming out of it.”

Donna Washburn, co-chair of Relay for Life, agreed.

“When the word ‘cancer’ comes up, it’s an instant bond,” said Washburn. “It’s just like you’ve made a friend even though you don’t know that person.”

Keesee said events such as the dinner give newly-diagnosed cancer patients hope because they see long-term survivors like her who have made it through treatment and have fully recovered.

Among the newly-diagnosed patients was Ann Tate of Reidsville.

“I didn’t realize there were this many people that had cancer,” said Tate. She said she had even seen friends at the survivor dinner who she didn’t realize had cancer.

Tate found out she has breast cancer in November after a mammogram. She completed her treatments near the end of February and is a proud participant in the Relay this year.

“It’s great that I can do something for the Cancer Society,” she said. “I have raised money from my neighbors and my church.”

Bree Myers is income manager for the South Atlantic Division of the American Cancer Society. She said this year’s fundraising goal is $167,000. She anticipates a lot of that money will come from the Relay.

“Right now we have 57 teams and we have raised $98,000,” said Myers. She said the money goes toward cancer research and services in the county, such as the Look Good, Feel Better program for breast cancer patients and Road to Recovery, which provides transportation to cancer patients who don’t have any other way of getting to their doctor’s appointments.

The American Cancer Society’s goal is to find a cure for cancer through research and education.

“My hope and my prayer is for cancer to be a word that will only be found in the dictionary,” said Keesee.

• Staff Writer Miranda Baines can be reached at or 349-4331, ext. 35.