Cancer will not be looking at us by age group.
4th Feb is World Cancer Day and here are my thoughts on awareness and education.
Current communications about disease awareness do not have sufficient coverage or inclusion.
I do not fall within the regular demographics of Endometrial Cancer, whereby the average age of diagnosis is 60. I was 30.
And I'm definitely not the only person diagnosed far out of standard averages. People around me have been diagnosed in their 20s and 30s with a whole collection of cancers. Breast, brain, blood, pancreas, colorectal, lymphoma, you name it.
But yet the general messaging is still focused on testing only when we're in the 40s, 50s, 60s, and above. And the consequences of that?
Missed opportunities for early intervention because:
A) We aren't taught to investigate. Already, it's a challenge to in getting people to do their annual health checks, much less something potentially terrifying.
B) Dismissive doctors.
Disclaimer: I've never personally experienced this but from accounts shared by other patients in various cities.
Many diseases start with seemingly trivial symptoms. Headaches, coughs, headaches, feeling bloaty etc. But when recurrent and still the doc doesn't recommend a specialist follow-up because "you're too young"? Patients lose precious time.
We need to rethink the communications to both the public and healthcare professionals and change how information is presented.
Yes, those averages could still be used to represent the majority but shouldn't the outliers be given attention too?