What is the best way to describe someone "post cancer"

[Katymac]

I HATE cancer victim/surviver

Is there a better way to decsribe someone who has got through it and out the other side?

Bump please - it's for an article about childminding

In remission?

That sounds so temporary

I want to celebrate it

Recovered

I think survivor sounds pretty triumphant actually - think of Gloria Gaynor!

Really "cancer surviver"?

Trouble is that if you want a neat snappy noun that's the only one - the other descriptions require at least 2 words and sound woolly.

My dad hates being referred to as a cancer anything! "In remission" makes him feel that it's going to come back, "all-clear" isn't quite true yet, "survivor" just makes him want to hit the person saying it! He doesn't want to feel that he is defined by his cancer so prefers just to say "I had cancer" and put himself first, than to refer to himself in a way that makes the cancer seem more important than him - does that make sense?

I don't like the sound of cancer survivor to be honest.

Well I am a cancer survivor - past the 5-year all-clear stage now - and I think it's fine (not that it ever comes up except in conversations like this )

That's brilliant Jan.

It is good, innit?

I'm with WWB - both my parents had cancer. They both had treatement, it went away and is unlikely to come back. When I talk to other people I just say "they had cancer".

I like Survivor personally

I think its strong and meaningful and means the bastard didn't get you

good on you Jan .. I didn't know .. YAY

Ds1's mil has just been through treatment and has been declared 'disease-free' by her medics. That's not a snappy phrase, though.

I agree with wwb and also with jan-h - that these are your 2 basic options for a snappy label. so rethink your sentence to avoid it. "Pippa, who was successfuly treated for breast cancer in 2003, now ...blah blah"

Wow Jan, I didn't know that! Great to hear all is well though!

GDG

oh gdg/pablo, I didn't either - you do get about!

Thanks all

I just put post cancer

It's so hard as you don't want to offend anyone

Message withdrawn

I dislike "victim/survivor" too because it seems only to be used in the context of cancer and seems to qualify the entire existence of the individual. It's rare to find the phrase "diabetes victim" or "heart disease survivor" although they can both be life-limiting diseases.

However any objections to those phrases pale by comparison with "fought a brave battle against cancer". I hate it - nobody has to fight a brave battle against heart disease. If I get cancer, I don't want to be encumbered with any kind of expectation of courage or pugnacity. I'd like to be able to exercise the right to be wimpy and scared thank you.

that's great Jan, I didn't know that

In mental health we use the term "survivor" to refer to people who have been mental health service users in the past, if that's any help