But that wasn’t the only reason to celebrate. There was also the fact that Thursday’s event marked a welcome return to in-person celebration after a two-year COVID hiatus.
And while the smiles on the faces of survivors and their families spoke volumes about their appreciation for the event, the cancer center doctors, nurses and other caregivers in attendance appeared to be every bit as tickled.
“Survivorship is really about the health and well-being of our cancer patients, from the time of first detection and throughout your journey,” St. Tammany Health System President and CEO Joan Coffman said. “But it’s also about caregivers and the healthcare heroes who work in this building. They truly make a difference.”
Corwin Harper, CEO of Ochsner Health’s Northshore and Mississippi Gulf Coast region, echoed those sentiments, adding that cancer “is a family disease.”
“In the context of being a cancer survivor, hats off to all of you,” Harper said. “Because I know all you have to go through to not just survive but thrive.”
See below for photos from Thursday’s event. Special thanks to St. Tammany Hospital Foundation, Double D Meat Company, Fidelity Bank and Rozas Ward Architects, all which helped make it possible.