Chris Merkling, a cancer survivor, never imagined she would stand on Kadlec Medical Center's roof.
But on Tuesday the Kadlec CardioPulmonary Rehab nurse waved her survivor flag -- literally.
"Ten, nine, eight..." nearly 40 hospital employees and members of the public yelled from across the street from the hospital.
When they counted down to one, Merkling raised a white flag decorated with a pink breast cancer ribbon, which will fly over the hospital all month in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Merkling bowed, waved and blew kisses Miss America style from the rooftop, to cheers from those below.
Though it's been six years since Merkling was diagnosed and three since her last treatment, she says she is still getting used to being a face of breast cancer.
"It was just very hard to all of a sudden be called a survivor," she said. "This has been my year of coming back."
Besides being asked to raise Kadlec's breast cancer flag, Merkling participated in Seattle's recent 60-mile, three-day breast cancer walk.
She says she is inspired by cyclist Lance Armstrong, who survived testicular cancer and has raised millions of dollars through the Lance Armstrong Foundation to help people affected by cancer. He has said survivors owe it to others to give back.
"That's my thing," Merkling said. "There really is purpose in this sometimes. Awareness if nothing else."
Jan Jacobs, a Kadlec Auxiliary member who has sewn the 5-by-7-foot flag the past three years, says she hopes the flag shows support to those who are affected by breast cancer.
"It helps people be more aware of the fact that it's breast cancer month," said Jacobs, who spent about eight hours creating the flag.
Patty Taylor, a hospital executive assistant and breast cancer survivor, raised the flag the previous two years.
"It honors those who didn't win the fight," she said. "It gets everybody together for one cause, and we need that in this world."
