By JENNIFER MAIER / Community Columnist

The Novella Club of Columbiana held its 11^th Annual Cancer Survivor’s Dinner on Sept. 19^th at First Baptist Church of Columbiana.

Over 70 people were in attendance at this year’s event, which is a time of celebration for those that have survived cancer, as well as to remember those that have lost their battle with the deadly disease.

Novella Club members work hard to make this event a memorable occasion each year.

“We keep doing the dinner because it keeps the survivors in touch with each other and they have something to look forward to each year,” Novella Club Vice-President Pat Ponder said.

The guest speaker for the event was Clare Huddleston, a news anchor with WBRC in Birmingham. Ponder said Huddleston was a great choice to speak at the dinner because she lost her grandparents to cancer, and currently has friends and family that are battling the disease.

Also on hand to speak to the crowd was Blue Barnes, a cancer survivor that provided his personal testimony about his fight against cancer.

The Columbiana community has a long history of raising awareness of this life-threatening disease through events like the Cancer Survivor’s Dinner, as well as through cancer walks with the American Cancer Society.

Research statistics compiled by the American Cancer Society for 2017 show there will be an estimated 1,688,780 new cancer cases in the U.S. that will be diagnosed, and over 600,000 deaths.

While no community can ever be safe from this dreadful disease, the women of the Novella Club feel that they can provide comfort to those that have had their lives changed by cancer.

The Novella Club will be hosting its annual Arts and Crafts Show on Oct. 28, with proceeds for the event going toward special events like the Cancer Survivor’s Dinner, as well a to provide scholarships for the Miss Shelby County Pageant and the Shelby County High School Deserving Female Senior. The club also makes annuals grants to local Columbiana schools as well as to organizations such as Shelby County Safehouse, Heifer International, Operation Smile and Backpack Buddies.