One of the doubtful pleasures for a woman reaching the half-century mark is receiving that first letter inviting her to take part in a breast cancer screening program.
Breast cancer is nothing to joke about.
Each year in Saskatchewan some 680 women are diagnosed with the disease and some 180 will die because of it. Across Canada, the numbers are 19,300 diagnosed and 5,300 deaths.
Having a breast flattened in a vice is not everyone’s idea of fun. Personally, I’d rather be washing floors with a bar of soap and a toothbrush.
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But, receiving the letter from the screening program saying that your test was clear engenders relief if not euphoria. Something not to worry about, and you don’t have to think of the test again for another two years.
Bring on the chocolate cake!
Over the years, women have become used to hearing and reading about breast cancer and, for many, the mammogram is just something that one does every two years. It’s not pleasant, but it’s quick.
Men have their own cancer risks in a delicate area of the body: the prostate gland.
Until very recently, this was not something that was talked about very much in public and, guys being guys, certainly was not discussed a lot over coffee the way women might discuss breast cancer.
Prostate cancer kills. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, it’s the most prevalent form of cancer diagnosed in Canadian men. As with women, 50 is the magic age, the age at which men should begin having annual prostate exams.
Statistics show that women are more likely than men to go to a doctor when something is wrong, and women are more likely than men to take preventative health care action.
I suspect that , if a study were done, it would show that rural men are less likely than their urban cousins to pay much attention to their health until something becomes obviously wrong.
But, in prostate cancer as in other forms of cancer, breast cancer included, early detection can make a big difference.
If you’ve ever watched a friend or a relative die of cancer, you wouldn’t hesitate to take the few minutes that a test takes. The discomfort of the test is nothing like the discomfort of the disease.
That’s why I have a mammogram every two years and why I nag my husband to have a prostate exam.
That’s why I’m nagging you.
