Earlier this month, members of the Cancer Lifeline team had the deep honor of participating in the Cancer Survivorship Celebration hosted by the South Puget Intertribal Planning Agency (SPIPA). It was a two-day event filled with joy, remembrance, and resilience — a gathering that lifted up the journeys of Indigenous cancer survivors and honored the sacred strength of community.

 

 

We were humbled to be invited into this space. The event offered not only celebration, but education and healing — recognizing the realities of late diagnoses, health disparities, and systemic inequities that continue to impact Indigenous peoples in our region. These truths remind us why our presence matters — and why listening, learning, and showing up with care must guide our work.

Throughout the event, we heard stories of courage and cultural strength, shared resources, and witnessed the deep relational medicine that comes from gathering in circle. We are grateful to SPIPA and all the tribal leaders, families, and survivors who made space for us.

At Cancer Lifeline, we remain committed to providing accessible, culturally respectful support for all people impacted by cancer. This celebration reminded us that survivorship is not just a medical term — it’s a collective journey of hope, healing, and belonging.

While at the event, Cancer Lifeline staff and Facilitators presented on several topics and sessions:

Cheryl Sesnon, our Deputy Director led a Healing Circle Session for about 25 participants. Powerful stories were shared of survivorship, grief and loss, as well as remembering those who have already walked on.

Melissa Layer, LMFT, presented on mental health issues, focusing on resilience sourced from Gratitude. Through poetry, images, and exercises, Melissa showed the participants how they could weave gratitude into their daily lives.

Victrinia Ridgeway, our liaison with SPIPA, offered a writing exercise where participants were asked to focus on the many things they learned through the two days, and to write a letter to their future self, with encouragement, reminders, and self-love. These letters will be mailed in the Fall of 2025 to the 44 guests who turned them in.

We also had a resource table that was manned throughout the event.

We carry the teachings of those days with us — and look forward to walking this road together.