CANCER PATIENTS, SURVIVORS CELEBRATE LIFE.

Byline: ALEJANDRO GUZMAN Valley News Writer

More than 270 Latina cancer patients listened, laughed and cried at the Wellness Community Valley/Ventura's sixth annual Mujeres Unidas en Celebracion (Women United in Celebration), held at the Airtel Plaza Hotel in Van Nuys.

Women came from as far as Orange County to the south and Santa Barbara to the north to participate.

Event organizer and Latino Cancer Outreach Program coordinator Maria-Felix Ryan said the event succeeded in uniting cancer survivors with those undergoing treatment.

As a result, cancer patients learned that they are not alone in their struggles and there are others who can relate to them.

Ryan said it is important for these women to know they have someone else to talk to about their problems.

Women who survived cancer took the stage and spoke about their personal experiences. They offered advice to women who currently receive chemotherapy and other treatments and also spoke about how cancer transformed their home life and relationships.

A Canoga Park woman spoke about her separation from her husband after not getting support from him and discovering he had cheated on her.

She said her husband was not willing to show support during her first encounter with breast cancer in 1998. She survived it after one year of chemotherapy. But in 2005, doctors again diagnosed her with cancer, this time in the liver. At about the same time, she found out her husband had been unfaithful.

She said her friends from Olive View Medical Center and the Wellness Community Valley/Ventura helped her get through those turbulent times.

She refers to friends as ``partners'' who always offer health tips and express concern. She said their illnesses ``unify them.'' Friends visit her when she is sick and call to see how she is doing. One friend even offered to take her son out on his birthday.

Event participant showed support to speakers and greeted them with applause.

Guest speaker Dr. Adrienne Lara offered inspiring words to the women and Dr. Bernard Lewinsky of Western Tumor Medical Group conducted an ``Ask the Doctor'' session, where women addressed personal concerns. Women sampled different methods of therapy such as Tai Chi and hand massages.

Ryan said the event helped women overcome their fears, especially those who are currently being treated. She says because husbands and children were not around, women were able to speak freely and laughed and cried without restrictions.

Assistants from the American Cancer Society showed women how to put makeup on and improve their appearances. Ryan says this helped the women feel better about themselves.

``It's a good healing session as far as I'm concerned,'' said Ryan.

Mujeres Unidas en Celebracion practiced a tradition started last year: Each woman in attendance received an angel figurine as a gift. Attached to the angel was a copy of a poem written by Winnetka resident and program volunteer Rosa Ramirez.

Ramirez, who is a cancer survivor of 18 years, wrote about an angel who helps motivate her through tough times. All the women in the room recited the poem along with Ramirez.

Ramirez volunteers on Wednesdays at Olive View Medical Center in Sylmar, where she builds patients' hopes by talking to them about her own battles with cancer.

In addition to the event, Latino Cancer Outreach offers other programs. Martes Social (Social Tuesday), a bi-monthly social meeting for cancer patients, is held at Our Lady of the Valley in Canoga Park. Other educational programs aim at teaching patients about dealing with their own particular types of cancer.

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(1 -- 2 -- color) LEFT: Cancer patients and survivors boogie down at the sixth annual Mujeres Unidas en Celebracion (Women United in Celebration) in Van Nuys. ABOVE: From left are Dolores Rodriguez, Nydia Suarez and Betty Rodriguez at the sixth annual Mujeres Unidas En Celebration.