Colon Cancer Awareness
I have read some very touching stories around the web of how colon cancer has affected families around the world. Colon cancer kills a little more than 50,000 people a year, chances of death can be reduced by having regular colonoscopy screenings. These people are unsuspecting, not so old but not so young...mothers, daughters, sisters, fathers, etc. You do not want to end up being told you have stage four colon cancer with a few months to live. At stage four, the cancer starts to spread to other organs in the body, which decreases the chances of survival even more.
If polyps are found, you will want to follow up when your Gastroenterologist says. Keeping an eye on things like that could mean a longer life.
Schedule for a colonoscopy screening:
- If you have a family history of colon cancer or polyps.
- If you are having gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea
- If you are having rectal bleeding.
- If you have really bad stomach pains or rectal pain that is almost unbearable, as in, definitely not just gas.
Colon Prep
The worst thing about the colonoscopy is actually the prep, if you are not sure what a prep would entail for a colonoscopy then follow this link
Please do not let this deter you from having this life saving procedure done and redone every 5 years or as needed due to family history and past exam results. Suck it up, in the long run it is worth it. If colon cancer is caught in time, it could mean saving your life!
Additional Information and Resources
Please go to the following link and read this amazing story about a woman younger than 50 who did not let her diagnosis of advanced colon cancer kill her spirit....she made it her mission to spread the word...she passed on because of the cancer, but her devoted family will not let her struggle die with her.
http://www.coloncancerfoundation.org/ Please read her story and realize the extent of how serious getting a colonoscopy screening is.
Want to get involved and learn more about Colon Cancer, please visit the following link and check out the Fight Colorectal Cancer group.
Take a look at a really great hospital that has dedicated so much to colon cancer related issues.
