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One of the complaints of modern life is we get so busy, we neglect to take care of our health. In the end we pay the price when we fall sick.

Don’t Duck It is a campaign intended to remind women not to duck their medical appointments. Medical tests such as PAP smears and mammograms are yearly events where you have an entire year to get it done. What causes us to procrastinate on them?

Missing these dates can be quite harmful to your life. We’re aware of the statement that early detection saves lives, but just how many can it save? According to this site:

• Currently, 61% of breast cancers are diagnosed at a localized stage, for which the five-year survival rate is 98%
• The relative five-year survival is 90% for colorectal cancer patients diagnosed at an early, localized stage; however, only 40% of cases are diagnosed at this stage
• Cervical cancer incidence and mortality rates have decreased 67% over the past three decades, with most of the reduction attributed to early detection
• About 20% of ovarian cancers are found at an early stage. When ovarian cancer is found early at a localized stage, about 94% of patients live longer than 5 years after diagnosis

This means early detection can, and will save lives, as the cancer is localised. It hasn’t spread yet, so it’s easy to focus on treating just one part of the body to kill the cancer.

Early detection can save lives, and so can you! Join the Don’t Duck It campaign and if you’re in PJ on 21 October 2011, come over to Jaya One for a day of fun, health screening and have a splashing healthy day! Details with.

This entry has been written in support of Makna for PinkOcto. Please donate!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the very few cancers that are usually discovered quite advanced. There are no causes for it, but some research have noted that it happens more frequently in people with diabetes, smokers and those who have long term pancreatic inflammation.

According to Public Med Health, 95% of those with pancreatic cancer do not survive beyond five years. It takes a strong will and determination to beat the cancer.

For 8 years, Steve Jobs was one of the 5% who did it. He was lucky.

This morning, at the age of 56, he passed away.

He leaves behind a legacy that I can admire, even though I hate his products.

He leaves behind a technological landscape that’s given me choices than I thought I would have.

He leaves behind a family that loves him.

Thank you, Steve Jobs. I may hate the company, but I can admire a person who’s made it the way you do. Even if you do sound like an asshole at times.

This entry has been written in support of Makna for PinkOcto. Please donate!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

I remember hearing of an aunt’s father pass away due to cigarettes.

He was a heavy smoker. I don’t know how many packs he smoked, but he smoked enough that he wouldn’t give up his smoking habit even though he was diagnosed with cancer.

I was 5 or 6 at the time.

He was always coughing, this uncle. He was a stern man, with a sterner daughter. He frightened me as a child.

All I can remember of him was that he was thin. And arrogant. At the very least, he did not seem to care that he was smoking himself to death.

I never went for his funeral. It would have been quite odd if my family did, as the his daughter was my uncle’s wife. Made more sense for the adults to go. The kids went to school like normal.

I remember listening to someone complain loudly that if it were not for his smoking, the uncle would still be alive. I know my mother has used that argument on my father several times. And he has attempted to quit.

But he goes back.

And you know what?

It’s his choice.

Many of the people who are smoking today realise that smoking is bad. They know it harms themselves, and the people around them. Smokers are reviled.

That they continue to do so is their choice.

So today, I will leave you with some small food for thought:

If you do not want to be exposed to secondhand smoke, which Wikipedia suggests causes cancer and the like… What makes you choose to stay in that situation you dislike?

This entry has been written in support of Makna for PinkOcto. Please donate!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

This October, I want to do something other than just turning my blog pink for October. For most of us online, we’re aware that breast cancer exists. The colour dedicated to it is Pink. It affects mainly women, though there are approximately 1% men who suffer from it. In Malaysia, it was estimated in 2005 that 1690 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. 460 of them will die.

Cancer isn’t something you sexualise. It isn’t something you trivialise. Anyone who’s seen friends and family struggle through cancer will attest to it. To watch your beloved waste away before your eyes while they plead for the pain to stop wrenches your heart. Cancer kills more than just the person who has it. It saps the energy and willpower of everyone around that person.

This October, I want to do more than just raise awareness. I want to raise RM2,000 for MAKNA, aka Majlis Kanser Negara, or in English, the National Cancer Council. To do so, I will be blogging every day with at least one post a day in Breast Cancer Month, October.

Why Makna? Makna focuses not just on raising awareness about cancer, but researching possible cures and treating cancer patients who otherwise may not be able to. Makna also runs a volunteer community program, where participants help cancer patients and their family. Some of these volunteers are there to provide a listening ear. Others may help just by walking and playing games with these survivors.

So if you have a spare change or two, I would like to ask your help in ending cancer. Open your wallets (or-ebanking account) and send some goodwill and money to them. Thank you.

ETA: You can donate to Makna and support my campaign via SimplyGiving! Thank you!

Wife of ETA: THANK YOU TO THE ANON DONOR! :D

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.