When I hear the word “survivorship,” I immediately think of a winner, a person who has persevered, fought a battle and won the fight.

The word transcends all time, and we hear it in all walks of life.

We hear teenagers, surviving another year of school or surviving a broken heart. We hear of people who have survived a terrible trip laced with one disaster after another. We hear it in the workplace.

We hear it when we think of the trials our great country has endured over the years. But, the most common place we hear the word is when we think of life threatening disease and a person who has fought and succeeded in victory — if only for a little while or for a lifetime.

Each year since 2006 around this same time of year, a member of our family contributes an article promoting the annual St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Benefit at The Castle.

We promote this with such gratitude for the generosity that so many people in Natchez display for an evening where 100 percent of the profit goes directly to the hospital.

To date, the event has raised over $125,000 for the hospital.

We promote this event because we are survivors. We promote this event because our daughter Julia has won the fight.

We promote this event because without St. Jude, our chances of having a survivor were low.

But, she did survive, and on Sept. 23, we celebrate her ninth year in remission. And finally, we promote this great event because every day, every few hours, another child walks through those large red doors of the hospital with a life-threatening diagnosis.

But because of the generosity of the Natchez community, the next child has a chance.

If there is not a cure for that child, there is a doctor diligently researching to find a cure.

And the strides that are made in research are shared with the entire medical community, worldwide.

This means money raised in Natchez will hopefully benefit another patient in the future, maybe as we say today, “paying it forward.” During the holiday season, St. Jude uses a Thanks and Giving Campaign.

The concept is to give thanks for your healthy children and give to those who are not healthy.

At 6 p.m. Sunday at the Castle Restaurant, we will give thanks for many, many healthy children in all of our lives. Through a lively auction and a delicious meal, we will give to help those children that are not healthy.

All 100 percent of the proceeds go directly to St. Jude. Dinner is $60 per person with wine pairings and a check can be made to St. Jude.

Thank you Natchez Community for your generous spirit and hope for more survivors in the world of pediatric cancer.

For reservations, please call 601-446-8500.

Thank you for your support.

Jennifer Eidt is the parent of a cancer survivor.