Every year, Suzanne Lindley's family gathers to celebrate a major milestone that increasing numbers of people are observing, even if they don't have a name for it yet. On this particular day, Suzanne celebrates her "cancerversary," the day she was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer 10 years ago and told she had six months to live.

Other people affected by cancer might commemorate the day they or a loved one finished treatment, when they were declared cancer-free or even when they lost a loved one. The word cancerversary means something different to everyone, yet i t is always about survivorship.

"My cancerversary is a celebration of life and living," says Suzanne, 41, who describes herself as a mom, wife and Texas country girl. "Each cancerversary I write in my blog about the milestones, miracles and minutes that I've experienced in that year."

Cancer survivors and their loved ones might consider marking a cancerversary as a way to remember a meaningful moment in their cancer journey, reflecting joy or pain, setback or triumph. Observing and sharing these moments allows people to reflect, find hope and inspire others living with, through and beyond cancer.

The National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship, a leading nonprofit cancer advocacy organization, considers someone a cancer survivor from diagnosis through the balance of life. The organization is encouraging cancer survivors to declare their cancerversaries or that of a loved one in a new online community that allows cancer survivors and their family members, caregivers, friends and coworkers to acknowledge an experience unique to cancer, whether through celebration or quiet reflection.

At www.cancerversary.org, visitors can share their own stories and photos or pay tribute to a loved one.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate Inc.