Vancouver resident Myronie McKee shared her survival story, and other survivors met up with their medical teams on Sunday to celebrate National Cancer Survivors Day at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver

Paul Valencia
Clark County Today

Myronie McKee opened her remarks by saying that some suggest public speaking is a worse fear than death.

Well, she already got past death, so let’s give this speech a try, she said with a laugh.

To be fair, she is plenty comfortable on stage, as someone who has been acting and directing for years.

This, though, was a special delivery, a heartfelt message from one cancer survivor, to other survivors, to those going through treatment, and for the medical professionals who provide so much care.

McKee was the featured speaker at the National Cancer Survivors Day event at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver on Sunday.

She told of her diagnosis, the day after she was an actor filming a commercial in which she played a breast cancer patient.

“In a surreal 24-hour period of life imitating art, I found out I was playing the role of cancer patient in real life,” she said.

That was the spring of 2024. After surgery and radiation, she rang the bell in October of that year. And on the day of Christmas Eve, she had a scan that came back with all clear.

“I’ve discovered cancer doesn’t only offer us the threat of death. It offers us some gifts of life,” she said.

Initially, she hated her scars, for example. Now, she says, she is friends with her scars.

If my scars weren’t there, I may not be here,” McKee said. “I started a ritual saying thank you every time I see them.”

She met friends who were going through treatment, as well. She participated in fundraising events, such as a half-marathon. She tackled the challenge of the fight, and she has embraced her new world as a survivor.

“If you have to get into the ring with cancer, you can’t do better than to be with this group of survivors and healers and medical workers who have helped me. I just want to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I’m grateful to be here and grateful to the heroes who helped me when I needed it most.”

Before she gave her speech, McKee said it was an honor to speak just to publicly thank her medical team. She recalled how vulnerable she felt, especially early in her treatment.

“And then they treat you with such dignity and respect,” McKee said. “For me, it’s a day to say thanks.”

The event featured “Sundaes on Survivor Sunday” as well as a raffle. There was also a photo booth for survivors, family members, and medical professionals to document the celebration.

Emilee Coiteux, who has worked at PeaceHealth for eight years, is now a nurse navigator at the cancer center. A navigator guides a patient through the point of diagnosis through survivorship.

“This is a way to celebrate their journey,” Coiteux said.

“It’s a beautiful time to highlight what they’ve been through, what they’ve accomplished. Not just them, but their families, their friends. It’s not just for survivors. It’s also for people in active treatment,” she said. “It’s our way to give back and spread love and positivity to our patients and highlight their journey.”

McKee’s physician, Dr. Shushan Rana, praised the patients who have survived cancer as well as those who are still in the battle.

“We are inspired by you each and every day,” Rana said. “That keeps us motivated to treat you better and better.”

Today, the PeaceHealth cancer centers in Vancouver and Longview are home to programs nationally accredited by the Commission on Cancer. For more information on the Vancouver center, go to: https://www.peacehealth.org/services/cancer-care/locations/vancouver