Last week, a popular figure on The Weather Channel announced that he was diagnosed with colon cancer. Dr. Greg Forbes went into his yearly physical and the doctors found his iron level was about 20% low. This prompted his physician to prescribe additional tests to try to find out why, including a colonoscopy. The colonoscopy revealed a cancerous growth. The great news is the cancer has not spread, and Dr. Forbes prognosis is good that he will make a full recovery!
Greg Forbes had surgery over the weekend and will recover at home before returning to The Weather Channel. I hope Greg Forbes makes a full recovery! Before surgery, Greg Forbes recorded a PSA with Jim Cantore and encourages everyone to see their doctor annually for a physical exam. And Greg Forbes is right, without a yearly physical exam, the cancer would have not been caught, and it could have spread and been much worse. Here is the video.
And this story takes me to this point. Cancer has grown and more and more people each year are diagnosed with a type of cancer. Each year, around 300 out of 10,000 Americans on average develops cancer. The most common types of cancer are lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, prostate cancer, and skin cancer. Over 1.5 million people in America are estimated to be diagnosed with cancer each year. Over 232,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. And over 130,000 people are diagnosed with colon or rectum cancer each year. The cancer with the most diagnosis is prostate cancer with over 233,000 new cases each year.
When someone is diagnosed with cancer, it changes them physically and mentally. That person has to go through surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and other treatments to rid cancer out of their bodies. Most people are successful in becoming cancer free, and some sadly pass away because their bodies were overwhelmed with cancer, but it does not have to be that way! It is important to get a yearly checkup at a doctor! Not only it could catch cancer in its early stages, the tests could catch something else that could be easily treated so you can live a long life! But you have to do more than a yearly physical when you get older. Women should get a mammogram, and guys, you need to get a colonoscopy.
Men and women should have a colonoscopy done by age 50, earlier if you have a family history of colon cancer. A colonoscopy is probably the most important cancer prevention test for both sexes that you need to get when you get older! Women should also get a mammogram by age 40, earlier if they have a family history. And guys should get a prostate exam by age 50, earlier if they have a family history. The American Cancer Society has some great tips about getting checked for cancer at: http://www.cancer.org/.
Lastly, other than getting checked for cancer. There are some things you can do to prevent all types of cancer, and it involves eating right and exercising, here are some tips from WebMD!
- Be as lean as possible without becoming underweight.
- Be physically active for at least 30 minutes every day.
- Avoid sugary drinks, and limit consumption of high-calorie foods, especially those low in fiber and rich in fat or added sugar.
- Eat more of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes (such as beans).
- Limit consumption of red meats (including beef, pork, and lamb) and avoid processed meats.
- If you drink alcohol, limit your daily intake to two drinks for men and one drink for women.
- Limit consumption of salty foods and food processed with salt (sodium).
- Don’t use supplements to try to protect against cancer.
- It’s best for mothers to exclusively breastfeed their babies for up to six months and then add other liquids and foods.
- After treatment, cancer survivors should follow the recommendations for cancer prevention.
I wish Dr. Greg Forbes and anyone going through cancer treatment a quick and speedy recovery! Stay strong!
Related articles
