BATON ROUGE - Baton Rouge General celebrated their patients who beat the odds during their National Cancer Survivors Day event on Sunday. 

The event celebrated those who have survived cancer, as well as the community who has supported them during their journey.

"Cancer touches almost everybody in some way, so having a day to celebrate and take advantage of some of the positive feelings we're having is important,” said Meghan Parrish, BRG's Vice President of Marketing & Communications. 

Every year in Baton Rouge, more than 4,000 people are diagnosed with cancer. Last year alone, Baton Rouge General treated nearly 1,500 patients with cancer. Parrish stressed the event's importance for survivors to connect with others who've been through similar experiences.

"A lot of times going through treatment and coming out of it, survivorship isn't as straightforward as you think, so talking to other people that have been through that is important."

Breast cancer survivor Erica Jackson shared her story after beating the disease not once but twice. She was first diagnosed in 2016, then again in 2022.

"Being a survivor of breast cancer is huge, it is huge. We celebrate every single day, not just our five year, not just our 10 year, we celebrate every single day," Jackson said.

Jackson said losing her hair during her cancer treatment was hard, but she kept her crown high.

"We still have a crown, we just have to straighten our crown without the hair. We are still beautiful, with or without our hair. The hair does not make us."

Jackson said she feels great and had a message for those starting treatments. 

"Keep pushing, keep working hard, keep being humble, and just embrace it all,” Jackson said. “You are not alone."