Two people in my life have undergone surgery for cancer in the last 24 hours. Both cancers were found through diagnostic screening: colonoscopy and mammogram.

Our lives are so busy and we think we can put off those procedures – uncomfortable as they may be. But cancer cells wait for no one and move silently until we take notice.

 Make a call, get the appointment, drink the stuff they give you before the colonoscopy and take a friend to the mammogram and then go out for lunch. Whatever you need to entice yourself to honor the promises made to others to take good care of yourself.

I made that promise and eight years ago a routine mammogram found wildly aggressive cancer cells. I am here today. Oh, the joy I would have missed had I thought that my daily routine was more important than pausing for that screening test. Those silent cells would have killed me.

 Make the appointment – a gesture of love toward your family as well as toward yourself.

(S-R archives photo: cancer survivor George Karl encourages people in the fight against the disease.)

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