𝑬𝒍𝒊𝒙𝒊𝒓 |
Can we talk about cancer for a minute?
I know even hearing that word can be scary.
Imagine going to the doctor because you don’t feel well, and then hearing, “You have cancer.”
Imagine having to tell your family. Imagine not knowing what happens next. Imagine suddenly being scared of something you never even thought about before.
That’s the reality for millions of people.
In 2022, around 20 million people were diagnosed with cancer worldwide, and around 9.7 million people died from it. That means about 1 in 5 people may develop cancer at some point in their life.
And cancer isn’t just one disease. It happens when some cells in the body start growing in an abnormal way and don’t stop. Those cells can also spread to other parts of the body.
The point is that some of the things that increase the risk of cancer are things we can actually avoid.
Smoking is one of the biggest ones. Alcohol can also increase the risk. Being very inactive, having excess body weight, too much UV exposure, and some infections can also play a role. Some cancers can also be prevented through vaccines, like the HPV and hepatitis B vaccines.
And please remember this too: getting cancer does not mean someone caused it by living “wrong.” Some cancers happen because of things we cannot control, like age, genetics, or other factors.
So please… take care of yourself.
Don’t wait until your body is seriously hurting before you start caring about it. If something feels unusual and doesn’t go away, get it checked. Know what puts you at risk. Go for screenings when they are recommended for you.
We spend so much time worrying about our future, our studies, money, relationships, everything…
But none of those things matter much if we completely forget about the body carrying us through all of it.
You only get one body. Please be a little kinder to it. 🤍
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