Cancer survivors gather for celebration, education

When a doctor walked into Raymond Gregg's hospital room in January and told him he had a tumor on one of his lungs, one that probably was cancerous, all the retired Marine could think about was going home to his wife and daughter.

So the 65-year-old pulled out his intravenous needle and hospital room heart monitors, put on his motorcycle helmet and rode his bike to his Beaufort home.

The next day, a nurse from the hospital called and told him, "<2009>'One thing's for sure, no one will ever forget you,'<2009>" Gregg said laughing.

Today, just days after finishing the last of his chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Gregg's outlook on his lung-cancer diagnosis has changed a bit, but he says laughter is essential.

"The most rewarding thing is to see other people smiling," Gregg said Sunday afternoon, surrounded by local area cancer survivors at the Cancer Survivors Day Celebration at the Keyserling Cancer Center in the town of Port Royal. "Frame of mind is so with this disease. I just want to be able to give others hope and help them with acceptance."

Gregg was joined by other recently diagnosed patients who gathered at the Keyserling Cancer Center to get advice from medical experts, such as nutritionists and physical therapists at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, and learn about healthy living habits.

"Talking about it is so important," he said. "You're not looking for

sympathy, you just want a friend. Most people want to talk to others who have been through it."

The event also included remarks from Dr. Majd Chahin, medical director of Beaufort Memorial Hospital's Oncology Services, live music, refreshments and door prizes.

"The best coping mechanisms are positive thinking, an active lifestyle and a fighting spirit," Chahin told the crowd.

Survivors are considered those living with a history of cancer -- from the moment of diagnosis throughout the remainder of life. The most commonly diagnosed forms in Beaufort County are prostate cancer among men and breast cancer among women, which is consistent with the rest of the country, said Dr. James McNab, a radiation oncologist. McNab said the center treats about 25 people per day, most of whom are from within a 60-mile radius of Beaufort.

Linda Arp, 53, of Beaufort, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2009, told the crowd Sunday she was inspired to start the "Beaufort Belles," a cancer support group, after a friend of hers also was diagnosed.

The group quickly grew and now Arp and 25 other women meet weekly to share everything from personal stories to tips on what to do during chemotherapy.

"I didn't want to be a patient. I was used to taking care of others," she said. "Now, I can't stop talking about it. I want everyone to get educated, get their mammograms. We're all in this together and that's what I live for."

Connie Duke, a registered nurse and cancer program director at Beaufort Memorial Hospital, said survivors and hospital staff wanted to commemorate National Cancer Survivor month in June while celebrating local area survivors and educating newly diagnosed patients about healthy habits they should practice to have a better chance at beating the disease.

"A diagnosis really does change your entire life," Duke said. "It's a lot of information for anyone to deal with and it's very stressful. We wanted to be able to acknowledge them and give back some one-on-one time to answer their questions."

Medical experts met with attendees and discussed diet, exercise, water and vitamin use, and holistic and spiritual wellness.

"There are people here we're treating right now and people who have been 30-year survivors," she said. "But this is what it's really all about. Sometimes we don't get to see all our patients' milestones and successes, and I'm glad we get to celebrate that today."

As for Gregg, wife Julie Gregg, 49, herself a 19-year Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor, said he will continue to try and reach others through laughter.

The 65-year-old said he has a scheme to lighten up chemotherapy treatments this week. He plans on donning an old gorilla costume through the halls of the cancer center and visiting patients who are receiving treatments.

"I'll tell them, 'Look what this chemotherapy's done to me,'<2009>" he said with a twinkle in his eye. "I've always said, the best thing of all is to give something to someone else. Other people make you who you a