Month: September 2018

As we come to October Eve and painting the town Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness, I want to bring your attention to the many colors of cancer.  There are many men and women suffering with no support and some with no finances to get the treatment they need.

Breast Cancer Awareness is the most prominent acknowledgment of cancer and most widely known.  Let’s be sure to remember the other cancers that are devastating families and taking lives.  I’m living for my Pink Sisters, but I also remember the many colors of cancer.

Support Choose Hope, an organization that supports cancer research.  You can purchase cancer awareness products whose money goes towards their cause.  Over $970,000 has been raised to date.  As we go Pink, remember the many colors of cancers.

 

September is Prostate CANcer Awareness Month
1 in 6 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.  Fortunately, with continuous research and information, more than 2.5 million men who have been diagnosed within their lifetime, are still living. ~The Cleveland

After I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I decided to have genetic testing done. I found there was a gene mutation on my paternal side that put me at higher risk. As I was fighting my battle, little did I know my dad would subsequently have a battle of his own. I believe the genetic testing information made my dad more vigilant and aware of choices he had to make.

Although my dad  had pre-stage prostate cancer, he elected to have surgery to ensure his health. In January of 2018, he successfully won his battle and we have a dad and daughter warrior team!  It’s so important to understand your health and risk factors, make regulator visits to the doctors and be aware of the signs and signals your body is giving you. Unfortunately, there may be no signs or signals.  When there are no signs or signals, regular visits to the doctor will help you understand your body and give you a baseline of what is and looks healthy so you’ll know the difference.  Neither me, nor my dad had any signs or symptoms…doctor visits may have saved our lives!

There was a study done in 2015 that suggested there was a connection between fathers, brothers, and sons prostate cancer and breast cancer.  The results stated that the risk of breast cancer was 14% higher in women who had a father, brother or son diagnosed with prostate cancer. It also stated that the breast cancer risk in these same women was 78% higher than the risk of the average woman if they had a father, brother or son with prostate cancer and any first-degree relative with breast cancer as well.  The following link will take you to the article for further information and research results:

Family History of Prostate Cancer Seems to Increase Breast Cancer Risk

If you have a father who doesn’t like to go to the doctor or a father that puts off what he’s feeling to simply needing rest, here are some tips to ensure your father’s health even when he is defiant😊:

1. Check on Dad often. A simple phone call to ask how he’s doing, could lead to him spilling the beans on his health! You know your Dad and may hear something different in his voice
2. See Dad as often as you can. You may see the signs before him.
3. Share your health with your Dad. This can be a segway to getting him to share about his.
4. Let your Dad know you love him and want him to be around for a while! Daughters need their Daddies💕

These tips are nothing new, not surprising and honestly not that creative. They are just small reminders of the way we need to pay attention to ourselves and our loved ones.

Prostate cancer does not have to keep our Dads from a fine quality of life. It’s only a reminder of how precious the bond is between or first loves. Take care of your Dads as they took care of you!!

My CANcer Wisdom to you: Build a healthy relationship with your Dad… literally!