Better to be Safe than Sorry

I received a text message last night--it came from a friend and she was asking for prayers. She had a biopsy last week and when results came, it turned out she had breast cancer. Prior to learning about her disease, my friend had a large cyst on her ovary. But I don't know if it was a miracle that even without any medication, the said cyst eventually got smaller. Then came this news about her cancer. The doctors told her she needs to undergo an operation ASAP because the cancer may have widely spread in other areas of her body. 


I began to wonder, my friend had always been the most "health-conscious" among us. She'd only eat organically grown veggies and fresh fruits, stayed away from red meats and used only products that had no chemicals or those referred to as environmentally friendly. She does not drink, smoke or do drugs either. In other words, she's clean living. She's the least among her friends to have cancer.


My friend is only in her early 30's. She's happily married to a lawyer who comes from a prominent family. They only had one child who's only three years old. But apparently, she later learned the culprit--breast cancer is in her genes. Her great grandmother died of such disease. 


Taking stock of your health means active screening against cancer. Diligence in getting recommended health checkups and cancer screenings, and going to the physician when something is wrong are as important as the other issues women are facing today. 


Cancer can strike women at any age, and with the odds one-in-three of a woman getting cancer in her lifetime, or needs to be proactive in screening out their disease. 


Women everywhere should take it upon themselves to be empowered on controlling their health. Simple steps such as staying away from tobacco, maintaining healthy weight, limited alcohol intake, skin protection from harmful UV rays, knowing one's family medical history and risk factors, as well as scheduling regular checkups on a regular basis.


When it comes to your health, it's better to be safe than sorry. 


You may visit www.cnetwork.org.ph for more info on cancer.


Be safe and God bless!