Hoping colon cancer story may save more lives

By Senator Paul Davis
R-Sangerville

Over the last year, my family and I have numbered among the thousands of Maine families whose lives are affected by cancer. We have been one of the fortunate families, however, as after surgery and months of treatment my wife has been declared in remission.

Last summer, Patty had been feeling unwell and went to the doctor for a battery of tests. It was then we discovered that she had colon cancer. She, and I, were shocked at how quickly her cancer went from zero to stage three. It only took three years for the disease to become that serious and danger, as she was cancer free at her previous colonoscopy in 2011.

My children and I will forever be grateful that she went to the doctor, had a colonoscopy before the recommended five years was over, and that the doctors discovered the cancer at a treatable stage. We feel that sharing our story is important as it may help others to be aware of the risks and the need for screening.

I cannot stress enough how important it is for people to take their health and that of their families seriously. Early screening can detect polyps, which are benign, non-cancerous tumors that have the potential to become cancerous. Whether or not a polyp becomes cancerous depends on the type of polyp. Detection allows the polyps to be removed before they even have the chance to grow into cancer.

If you are over 50, or if you have a family history of colon cancer you should call up your doctor and set up an appointment for a screening. Men have a slightly greater risk factor than women for colon cancer, and folks with a diet heavy in red meat and low in exercise are also at a greater risk for the disease. Not only does screening find polyps that can be removed, but it can help catch colon cancer that already exists at an early stage so the survival potential is much greater.

Colon cancer found at stage one has a 92 percent survival rate, which drops to 11 percent for stage four cancer. While five years is the recommended time period in between screenings, you know your body and you know how to tell if something is wrong. Don’t be shy about going to the doctor and discussing your concerns. Things could have turned out very differently for us if Patty hadn’t taken the steps she did.

The American Cancer Society credits increased screening with being a key reason for the drop in death rates from colon cancer over the last 20 years. Currently, there are over one million survivors of colon cancer living in the United States. However, it is a sobering fact that colorectal cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States.

Dealing with cancer is never easy, and it takes plenty of physical, emotional, and spiritual strength. By getting regular screenings so you can find cancer earlier if it’s there, you can save yourself and your family much heartache.

In addition to calling your health care provider, you can also call the Maine Center for Disease Control (1-877-320-6800) to find out more about low-cost screening options that are available to those who qualify. You can also visit their website at: http://www.screenmaine.org/.

Don’t take your health for granted. Learn from our experience — get screened. We would also be remiss if we did not publicly thank the Lafayette Family Cancer Center in Brewer. The doctors and staff take great care to help get patients, and their families, through a difficult time and to do so not only with professionalism but with genuine compassion.