LTTE: September is US Open Prostate and Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month-Orange Leader

Recognizing September as a public prostate and ovarian cancer awareness month, the Gift of Life defends prostate and ovarian cancer with doctors, clinics, public health professionals, and the Gift of Life. Asking men and women to consult with the organization Get screened for illness if necessary.

Prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer in men in the United States, affecting 1 in 9 people. Almost 192,000 men have been diagnosed with the disease this year, and an estimated 33,330 men have died from the disease.

Prostate cancer exceeds men diagnosed because it is hit when a family loses a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, or sibling. African-American men are affected at a higher rate of prostate cancer diagnosis and death than men in other racial and ethnic groups in the United States.

The disease can also affect young men, with nearly one-third of prostate cancers occurring in men under the age of 65.

Early detection is the best defense against this complex disease. The Gift of Life is fortunate to have a dedicated medical partner to help provide free prostate cancer screening to underserved men in our community. To date, the program has conducted more than 10,500 free prostate cancer screenings to help diagnose nearly 80 men.

COVID-19 has rescheduled the January 2021 Gift of Life annual male health and wellness screening. These include prostate cancer and primary care tests at major locations throughout South East Texas. Collaborative healthcare providers provide important healthcare services to uninsured or uninsured men and provide important educational material through event delivery sites and virtual learning opportunities. Participants with unusual results will be referred to a local doctor or clinic.

Alternatively, the general public is still ovarian cancer, an asymptomatic disease with vague symptoms, as the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death in women and the most deadly cause of all gynecologic cancers. It is ranked. In 2020, 21,750 women will be diagnosed with ovarian cancer, and it is estimated that nearly 14,000 women will die of the disease this year.

The Gift of Life understands the importance of educating women about the risk of ovarian cancer, and the Julie Richardson Proctor Ovarian Cancer Education Awareness Initiative was established in 2011 by healthcare professionals and thousands of others. A catastrophic illness that educates people every year and provides information on these signs and symptoms. Proctor, a lawyer, board member and community activist of the beloved Gift of Life, fights ovarian cancer with indomitable elegance and courage, and her legacy continues to affect women for generations. Refusing to silence the tragicly deadly illness, she was passionate about delivering a message of early detection and education.

Three additional Gift of Lifeboard members and devoted volunteers, George Voltz, Laura Campbell Wilbur, and Norma Foray, died young due to this insidious illness, and the program also remembers their affectionately. We will continue to devote our efforts.

Ovarian cancer is difficult to detect, especially in its early stages, as only 19% of cases have been diagnosed. Women need to be aware that eating is difficult, in addition to symptoms such as bloating, pelvic pain, and abdominal pain. Risk factors include genetic predisposition, family history of breast, ovarian or colon cancer, increasing age and infertility. It is also important to note that the Papanicolaou trial does not detect ovarian cancer.

The COVID-19 crisis has restricted access to healthcare and other community resources due to unemployment and lack of insurance, making nearly 3,000 screening clients extremely vulnerable each year. It’s more important than ever.

Everyone feels the health and economic implications of a pandemic in different ways, and there is no easy answer. But the families, patients, and communities we serve need our support more than ever, and the Gift of Life continues to fulfill its mission.

Cancer doesn’t stop because of a pandemic, and the Gift of Life doesn’t stop either. Together with the kind and compassionate hearts of donors, volunteers and other supporters, we together help reduce medical disparities and save lives.

The South East Texans recommends that you better understand prostate and ovarian cancer and take the necessary steps to protect your health. Keep in mind that the life you save may be your own.

With our love

Regina Rogers (Founder) and Norma Sampson (Executive Director)