Serving the Survivors

Memorial Day. Honor the dead. Remember the living.

Advances in battlefield medicine, response time and transport save the lives of more soldiers than ever before. From the Iraq war alone, more than 30,115 men and women have returned home with injuries. 

Likewise, medical advances allow us to save more lives here at home. For example, five-year survival rates across all forms of cancer increased an average of 16 percent between 1975 and 2003. And they continue to rise dramatically.

However, studies show that survivors, whether from war or life-threatening disease, fall short in sustaining behaviors that guard their health and promote well-being. 

As healthcare practitioners and communicators, we can make a huge difference. Survivors' medical, psychological and social needs are immense and their numbers are growing. Let's find new ways to extend our reach far beyond treatment with much-needed information, support and advocacy. 

The best way to honor the bravery of survivors is to help them live the best lives possible. We're already making progress. May they inspire us to do even more.

— Tom DeSanto