ST. LOUIS — Cancer fighters and survivors came together on Saturday to celebrate what they've overcome.
Mercy Hospital hosted its 2nd annual 'Survivorship Event.'
Jan Hoggatt was one of the many fighters there.
"There's a lot of days when people say to me, 'Oh, you look so good,' and I just think, if you knew how I felt," she said.
Back in 2020 Hoggatt got the news no one wants to hear, she had cancer.
"I underwent both chemotherapy and radiation at the same time and when we did the follow up CAT scan, we thought everything was going to be good," she said.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for Hoggatt.
Even though the cervical cancer is under control, she's now battling lung cancer, but Hoggatt is holding onto faith.
"He's given me everything I need to get through this, and I have no doubt that I will. If you don't have a positive attitude and a good sense of humor, you're not going to make it," she said.
Saturday was the 2nd annual cancer survivorship event hosted by Mercy Hospital.
Medical Oncologist Dr. Christina Min said it's all about bringing cancer fighters and survivors together to build a community.
"Being able to celebrate that for our patients that have overcome that and kind of put that behind them, I think is so special and, you know, you're never the same again once you've had a cancer diagnosis," she said.
The parking lot of the David C. Pratt Cancer Center was filled the music, mocktails and dancing with yoga and cooking demos inside.
Dr. Min said it's all about wrapping their arms around those that have beat the odds.
"Being able to celebrate that for our patients that have overcome that and kind of put that behind them, I think is so special and you're never the same again once you've had a cancer diagnosis," she said.
It's a diagnosis that Dr. Min said she wants people to understand can be beat.
"It really is something that you can overcome and looking back at it now, I mean, these are the patients here that are kind of testimony to that," she said.
For all the fighters, like Hoggatt, it was a day to celebrate.
"I'm very, very grateful to everyone in my life and everybody at Mercy. This is a day to celebrate because two years ago, when you hear the words, 'You have cancer,' you don't look very far in the future. I'm looking to the future," she said.
Dr. Min said treatments are evolving and patients are living longer and better lives.
She also wanted to remind everyone the importance of getting your cancer screenings.
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