Words to Live By

There are some things that can never be forgotten – like the favorite sayings of parents, family, and others in our lives. In my case, it’s the words of a high school teacher – note I did not say my favorite teacher!

I went to a very small high school, which meant I had “Mr. Q” for English class the entire school year. And not just for 1 year – but 3 of the 4 years. To say “Mr. Q” was strict is an understatement. I wondered, as did many of my classmates, if “Mr. Q” had served int he military. Not surprisingly, no one had the courage to ask him!

Mr. Q loved the work of the great authors such as Jane Austen, Ernest Hemmingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald and he could quote passages of their works from memory. Admittedly, I do not remember any of the passages he quoted. However, I will never forget Mr. Q frequently saying: “There is no such thing as a good excuse.”

Excuses, Excuses

Visiting the doctor is not on the top of the list of things that most people like to do, especially when it’s for preventative care. And if it’s preventative care that involves a person’s “private parts”,  you then have the perfect situation for a million excuses for not making an appointment.

Just ask a few women if they ever skipped making a doctor appointment for PAP and HPV tests to screen for cervical cancer. If the response is yes, ask them why they did not make an appointment. The excuses will likely include:

• I feel fine
• I’m too busy
• I don’t think it’s necessary at my age
• Pap smears are uncomfortable
• I can’t find a doctor

Excuses may be a cheap  in the  short run but they may have costly consequences in the long run!

Make No Excuse

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in the United States, a time to focused on raise educating and spreading awareness about cervical cancer, its prevention, and the importance of early detection. Cervical cancer is the only gynecologic cancer that has screening tests, the HPV and the Pap tests, that can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early when treatment works best.

Today cervical cancer is considered preventable thanks to prevention with human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and screening with HPV and Pap tests. Yet, about 14,000 people were diagnosed with cervical cancer in the U.S. last year, and more than 4,000 died.

Cervical cancer primarily strikes women in the prime of their working lives. The American Cancer Society reports that cervical is most frequently diagnosed in women from 35 to 44 years old. However, a recent study found that found that some women do not continue to get screened for cervical cancer as they get closer to 65 years old. Unfortunately, women over age 65 can still get cervical cancer.

For women young and old, there is no such thing as a good excuse for not following the recommended guidelines for the prevention and early detection of cervical cancer!

Happy reading,

Suzanne Daniels

Enjoy the weekend!

Best,
Suzanne
Suzanne Daniels, Ph.D.
AEPC President
P.O. Box 1416
Birmingham, MI 48012
Office: (248) 792-2187
Email: [email protected]