At age 38, I was diagnosed with bladder cancer. While the doctors noted it was very strange, as that disease is more typical at much older ages, nobody had any suggestions as to why it happened. I was lucky that the lemon-sized tumor was suspended in my bladder and was noninvasive. It was removed via cystoscopy, and I went on with life.

Then, at age 45, I had stage II colon cancer. Because of my (again) relatively young age, surgery was followed by a year of weekly chemo just in case.’ Still (in 1993) there was no thought of a potential genetic cause.

Years later, my dermatologist suggested genetic testing after he removed a number of skin growths that could be indicative of a genetic mutation. Sure enough, I was found to have Lynch syndrome.

I am still here because it was found early enough to effectively treat it.

I continue with my annual screenings and have been spared any recurrence of Colon Cancer.  Those annual colonoscopes and biannual upper cystoscopies have become regular fixtures on my calendar

It was an upper cystoscopy that identified stomach cancer, which could have taken my life, had it not been found when it was.

And a CT scan for one of my other cancers raised a flag on a heart artery that was seriously blocked.  Same story, as this “widow-maker” could have ended everything.

Enjoying life today, I can’t say enough about regular screenings!

Delaying screenings gives the cancer(s) the opportunity to progress to higher stages, where treatment options are fewer and less effective.

There is no time better to get screened than RIGHT NOW!