World Cancer Day: Find Peace and Solace in Downtown Boise

Cancer is a part of many of our lives. From knowing someone who has battled to battling yourself. So much great work has been done over the last couple of decades and as medical technology continues to advance, so will cancer treatments. Survivor rates are higher than ever before in adults and children and will continue. In the words of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital "We Won't Stop Until NO Child dies from cancer."

Today is World Cancer day, national today says, "World Cancer Day is observed worldwide on February 4. The aim is to inform and encourage people on its prevention, early detection, and treatment. This initiative was taken by the Union for International Cancer Control to campaign and advocate for the targets of the World Cancer Declaration, penned in 2008."

In downtown Boise you will find a moving set of quotes and artful pieces to encourage, relate to and inspire cancer survivors and cancer warriors who are still fighting. A few people in my family have passed after a long hard battle with cancer. My grandfathers battle was a hard one to watch and after one heck of a fight, eventually passed from it. Walking through and absorbing the words and the weight behind them was moving and I couldn't help but get emotional.

The Richard & Annette Bloche Cancer Survivor Plaza is located at the far end of Julia Davis Park across from Whole Foods. It was designed to take visitors on a reflective journey through the 'Positive Mental Attitude Walk'. The walk takes you on a path surrounded by inspirational and instructional messages. The area is also surrounded by very deliberate plants for their textures, sounds, fragrances and vibrant colors. -Of course those are better to see in the spring and summer- One of the boards describes their significance saying: blue for peace and trust, red for vitality, orange for optimism, yellow for contentment, green for growth, and white for purity and wholeness.

I would encourage you to visit the plaza yourself. Until you make the visit, here are the visuals to be experienced.