Cancer, a six letter word that can change your world. Do you know what Cancer is? Are you even aware of the symptoms? Cancer can change and turn your lives inside out, however this type of sickness that runs throughout your body is a silent type of disease. There is one thing in mind and that is to have faith. Cancer concerns many Americans throughout the world it can be preventable with the right knowledge of our white coat doctor’s and through our faith that everything will turn out for the best.
Cancer is a name that generally names more than 100 diseases. This disease starts when abnormal cells grow out of control. Cancer cell growth is different from normal cell growths within the body. Normal cells can become cancer cells, because of the DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) damage. When cancer is untreated it will cause serious illness and even death. Cancer that occurs in children is different from the cancer that happens in adults. Childhood cancer can happen without any symptoms and most likely to have a higher rate of being cured. The most common cancer that is found in children is leukemia. Other kinds of cancer that affects children is brain tumors, lymphoma and soft tissue sarcoma. Some of these cancers can be treated through surgery, radiation and or chemotherapy.
Colon cancer hits home for me, my father passed away from this disease without knowing anything. Colon cancer is cancer of the large intestine. Rectal cancer is when there is cancer to the last few inches of the colon. When you combine colon cancer with rectal cancer you end up with colorectal cancer, which can be a silent killer. When colon cancer starts it is called a polyp which can be benign (noncancerous) clumps of many cells, over some time the polyps become colon cancer. The National Cancer Institute has stated that, “estimated new cases and death from colon and rectal cancer in the United States in 2013 is as stated: 102,480 colon cancer, 40,340 for rectal cancer for the death toll 50,830 is for colon and rectal combined.”
Chemotherapy never started out as a medicine, it was used during World War I as a mustard gas for a chemical welfare. When some of the people was exposed to this type of gas it was later found out that they had a low white blood cell count. In 1940, doctors used this type of mustard gas through their vein and even though the improvement was temporary it was still a remarkable sight. Radiation therapy uses high energy waves to destroy or damage the cancer cells. Radiation kills cancer cells by damaging their DNA, when the cancer cells DNA is damaged it will stop dividing or multiplying and or even dies off. Once the damaged cell dies, it will leave the body through a normal natural process.
Cancer can take a huge toll on the body, you can go through a physical and mental change while going through this process. During both radiation and chemo you will go through pain, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, and many more. When people are being cared for at home they will go through anxiety, fear and emotional distress, poor appetite, depression, blood in urine and will sometimes fall without knowing why. When dealing with cancer on the mental side you will have to cope with cancer being in your everyday life. The American Cancer Society has stated, “More than 13 million Americans alive today have faced a diagnosis of cancer….No two people with cancer is alike, just like no two friends or family members are alike (www.cancer.org coping with cancer in everyday life).
The true hero’s of all times is the ones that has faced this type of disease and has won. Gary Bonacker is the co-owner of Sunnyside Sports in Bend, Oregan, He was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor in 2003 and founded the Tour des Chates in 2005 that is a fundraiser to help fight cancer. Gary said.”I just want to be the guy who loves to ride bikes, go fishing and garden a little. I do not want to be ‘Gary the cancer guy”. Ten months after Gary was diagnosed with stage 2