Fresno cancer survivors find support at free Rise and Shine event

At cCARE Fresno Center at 7130 North Millbrook Avenue in northeast Fresno, the third annual Rise and Shine Survivor Day Celebration on Saturday, May 16, put the spotlight on what many cancer patients still need after treatment ends: people, information and a place to be understood. The free gathering included guest speakers, more than 20 vendors, yoga and journaling, turning the Millbrook Avenue clinic into a one-day hub for patients, survivors, caregivers and families.

The event carried a clear message that survivorship is not just about celebrating the end of chemotherapy or radiation. It is about the long stretch that follows, when families are still juggling appointments, fear and the emotional weight of cancer. Niki Xayboutda, a Fresno mother and cancer advocate, said she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer two years ago, went through chemotherapy and radiation, and has been in remission for a year. Her experience underscored how isolating treatment can be, especially when appointments are faced alone.

Dr. Musti Haseeb, a medical oncologist and hematologist with cCARE, said the gathering was meant to inspire hope. cCARE’s profile for Dr. A. Mustajeeb Haseeb says he is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology and folds emotional support into cancer care alongside research and innovative treatments, a reminder that medicine alone does not carry patients through recovery.

Organizers have tied the celebration to the idea that "community at cCARE is stronger than cancer," and to a broader theme of survivorship and "thrivership." A second Fresno Survivor Day Celebration in June 2024 featured community resources, meditation stations and cancer screenings, and the event was open to survivors and loved ones regardless of where treatment was received. That kind of welcome matters in Fresno County, where many families split time between appointments, work and home without much margin for the mental and practical strain of cancer.

This year’s Rise and Shine event showed the same pattern: resource tables and wellness activities can offer a starting point, but the need that remains after the booths close is bigger. Survivors still have to rebuild routines, lean on caregivers and navigate life after cancer with support that is not always easy to find.