April is Cancer Awareness Month

Did you know that 45% of men and women will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime?

That is far too many.

Prevention makes a difference, but many factors are out of our control. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do what you can to maintain your health. This includes having regular check-ups and screenings.

Prostate cancer accounts for 22% of new cancer cases in men. Breast cancer accounts for 26% of new cancer diagnoses in women. The other two cancers that make up most cases are lung and colorectal.

Canadian Cancer Stats

The World Health Organization expects that there will be 35 million new cancer cases in 2050, a 77% increase from 2022. In the U.K. one person is diagnosed with cancer every 80 seconds. This increase is thought to be caused by exposure to environmental risk factors, with tobacco, obesity, inactivity, and alcohol being other key contributors.

Most of my day is spent with people who have been diagnosed with cancer. They are highly motivated to remain healthy. This is one reason I became a Cancer Exercise Specialist™️. I wanted to be able to give evidence-based recommendations, and there is a lot of evidence that exercise makes a difference.

All activity makes a difference.

Pay attention to changes

You never think it will happen to you, or someone you know, until it does.

I can’t describe how it feels to hear that diagnosis, but I do know how it feels. You stop listening, someone is talking, and all you hear is cancer, blah, blah, blah cancer.

In 2023, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. It has not been easy, but the future looks promising. I will not go into the details, but I want to emphasize one thing.

Don’t wait.

If something doesn’t feel right, get it checked immediately. I had no discernable lump. My last screening was only six months ago. I had slight and unusual discomfort. My doctor was great and not so great. The great part was that she sent me for an ultrasound, and it was decided that I needed a biopsy, and then my life changed.

The not-so-great part came later when she said, “Put your affairs in order.” That kind of news changes your perspective. I am happy to report that the future does look brighter.

Why am I telling you this?

I only told a few people about my diagnosis for several reasons, but I am sharing it now for these reasons.

First, my medical information is mine. I talk to people all day long who trust me to keep their medical information confidential, and it is not necessary to share everything. I respect their decision to discuss their personal details with me, but no one should be forced to share their medical information. I also know that sometimes you want to be treated like everyone else. However, this experience does change you. It has changed what is important to me and how I spend my time.

Second, regardless of your good habits, your health can change in a minute. You are not to blame for this, as some “wellness influencer” told me that cancer is due to negative thinking. I had some negative thoughts after that conversation.

Third, there have been many stories in the media about how we shouldn’t be afraid of cancer. I can’t even link to that nonsense. I think we should be more afraid. If you think that everyone who is diagnosed early will have a positive outcome, we don’t live in the same reality. I have spent a lot of time at the Cancer Clinic, and you don’t want to go there. Especially now that funding for cancer research is being eliminated in the U.S., this is devastating news, it will have a global impact.

Fourth, if this convinces one person to get screened or go to the doctor because something doesn’t feel right, then it is worth it. Screening is the easiest way to prevent cancer deaths. Cancer caught early is much more likely to be treated successfully. A study from Kaiser Permanente, Northern California, showed that colorectal screening reduced deaths across all groups by 50%.

Finally, being fit makes a difference. I know that for the people I work with who are undergoing or have completed treatment, more muscle mass makes a difference. There is so much research to show that fitness is a factor in treatment, prevention, or recurrence (fingers crossed). It makes my workout routine even more important than ever.

Finally

I hope this never happens to you, but feel free to talk to me if it does.

Having people who have been through it is so helpful. I can’t thank them enough. They made it all so much easier. Thank you to everyone who helped us. You made a difference.

Last but not least, recently the man and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. My mom used to say I won the lottery. She was right. I wouldn’t have wanted to go through this without him.

Stay fit, friends.

Change your mind, change your health,

Shayla