It's a topic none of us want to talk about. But we must.
The untimely death of Chadwick Boseman at the age of 43 reminds us again: colorectal cancer, more and more, is becoming a young person's illness.
Years ago, my next door neighbor's daughter in law battled stage 4 colon cancer even as she mothered two school aged children. She survived.
A co worker's brother was diagnosed in his 20's. He did not survive. The co worker has two children in their 20's now.
A former co worker lost her grandmother and mother to colon cancer, both at the same age. Fortunately she and others can get life saving screenings. But insurance (except if someone is high risk, and not all cases in the young occur in high risk individuals) may not cover the test in full if you are under a certain age.
If cases of colon cancer and rectal cancer are increasing in the young, why aren't testing guidelines being adjusted? When young people present with symptoms, it sometimes takes a lot of convincing to get a doctor to order a colonoscopy.
I ask my readers: if you are over 45, get that screening that's recommended for you by your doctor. If you are under 45 and have symptoms such as blood in your stool, changes in bowel habits, or pressure like needing to "go" but you aren't ready to "go", please see a doctor immediately. If you are blown off, please, see another doctor.
That's what a warrior does.
Chadwick Boseman was a warrior, on the screen and off it. May he rest in peace.
May the fight against cancer continue, and end successfully. May all the warriors in this battle find strength today to continue the fight.
I've only seen portions of the movie "Black Panther". It will be shown on television tonight, 8 pm EDT.
From the Black Panther soundtrack, The Weeknd and Kendrick Lamar in "Pray For Me".
I invite you tomorrow to read (or, better yet, participate in) a Monday weekly blog hop called "Music Moves Me" where bloggers who love music gather to share their favorite songs, or songs from the theme for the week (alternate weeks). Tomorrow, the theme is "Songs about the end of summer".
"See" you tomorrow!
Wakanda forever.
ReplyDeleteCancer sucks.
...I have had several colonoscopies.
ReplyDeleteSuch a super personality and actor. He died too young.
ReplyDeleteWay too young.
ReplyDeleteI've had the screening several times, and a colonoscopy twice, ten years apart. I'll tell you, the first time in the doctor's office was no fun, and the second earlier this year, while not fun, was no problem. I wasn't even awake for it! A much more thorough job at a specialist that way! I'm fine and don't come back for another ten years.
ReplyDeleteGreat post, Alana!
ReplyDeleteIt runs in my husband family so he goes in every three years and for me it every 5 or 7 years.
ReplyDeleteSo sad.
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