Mike Doherty addresses approximately 120 cancer survivors at an American Cancer Society dinner in their honor Monday evening at Gaffney High School. The local residents were treated to a dinner provided by Outback Steak House. Mike Doherty was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma on his 37th birthday.

The five-year cancer survivor spoke to 240 fellow survivors and their guests during the American Cancer Society Survivor's Dinner on Monday evening at Gaffney High School.

He talked of his struggle to survive the disease and he shared with them the news he hasn't told many people. Doherty is awaiting results from a biopsy performed last week after doctors noticed one of his lymph nodes was growing. He called it a "temporary setback."

"I found I needed a team behind me to help me survive," Doherty said, describing his initial fight against cancer. "I needed people around me. People who were kind. People who were funny. People who could take my mind off of it."

Doherty shared the story of his survival, including his bouts with therapy and the drug Retuxan. When he began to lose his hair, his neighbor, whom Doherty considered one of his "teammates," brought over a pair of clippers to shave his head.

"He went to town and by the end of the night I kind of liked being bald," Doherty laughed.

The Freightliner accountant had not missed work throughout his chemotherapy until his eighth round.

After the completion of his chemotherapy, Doherty, like other cancer survivors, had regular scans to make sure he is cancer-free. After two false positives and a third scan that left doctors confused, his physicians wanted him to undergo stem cell transplantation.

"They wanted to take stem cells from me, clean them up and put them back in my body," he described.

Doherty and his fiance, Amanda, chose to wait on the procedure and instead celebrated life by getting married. He referred to her as the "Most Valuable Player" on his survival team.

After the wedding, Doherty got a second opinion from physicians at Duke University. Doctors there told him they didn't see anything on his scans.

But four weeks ago, those Duke physicians did see something on a scan and Doherty had a biopsy. He is still awaiting those results.

"If I get word in the next few days I'll get the message out that I'm doing 'Okay,'" he told the crowd. "We're all survivors. We all have our own stories, but teamwork works. You have to surround yourself with positive people. You have to think positively."

Doherty is the accounting and online chairperson for the Relay for Life committee.

Those attending this year's Relay for Life on May 11 and 12 can receive free skin and oral cancer screenings between 6:30 and 8 p.m. at the event. People can also pick up vouchers for a free mammogram or prostrate or colorectal screening while at Relay for Life.

There will also be a Look Good Feel Better program for cancer patients at 6 p.m. May 14 at Upstate Carolina Medical Center.

Anyone who would like more information on the free screenings or who wishes to register for Look Good Feel Better should call 1-800-ACS-2345.

Christian comedian Greg Loner entertained the crowd following the dinner provided by Outback Steak House. The Gaffney restaurant will also be providing food during the Sheriff's Office Ride for the Relay on May 5.