Colorectal cancer is a killer – with a survival rate of 90% if people would just get their head out of their butts and get screened.
According to the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths after lung cancer in Ontario, and the third most common cancer diagnosed.
When you read the chilling facts about colon cancer, all jokes aside, it gives you pause. We know about the pink ribbon campaigns for breast cancer and blue ribbon for ovarian cancer, but do we really do more than clench our sphincters and wince when we think about screening for colon cancer?
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With the number of reported deaths in our area due to colon cancer in both men and women, it’s past time to take screening for the disease seriously. We are lucky enough in Chatham-Kent to have a hospital that is designated a Cancer Care Ontario ColonCancerCheck screening site at CKHA, with a new, state-of-the-art endoscopy unit.
That means we have the staff, equipment and funding to ensure that people over the age of 50 or with a family history of colon cancer can be checked out. When there is a 90% chance of being cured with less invasive surgery if the cancer is caught early enough, why wouldn’t you just be brave and get it done?
I just did. And yes, the surgeon puts a scope in your rectum and feeds it through to view your colon (insert wince and sphincter clench here). But with a family history of bowel cancer and a positive result for blood in my stool, I would have to be an idiot not to go ahead with the screening. At 48, the idea of a colonoscopy was not on my radar, but a very thorough family doctor gave me a reason to stop being squeamish about it and just get it done. With fast-tracking because of family history and test results, I went from testing to consultation, to procedure in two weeks. And I can quite honestly say, the procedure itself was quick and painless.
Unlike my husband, Bruce, who tends to share all the details – too much information many would say – I will simply say the cleaning out the night before is probably the worst part and requires you to be at home and close to the bathroom.
The next day, it was up to the third floor at CKHA to register and be prepped by Mike, a very funny and caring nurse who made getting the intravenous hooked up easy and quick. The anaesthetist paid a quick visit to confirm facts and ask questions and then it was on to the procedure room. Two deep breaths and I was out (after telling surgeon Dr. Elizabeth Haddad I was going to tattoo “Exit Only” on my derriere for her).
I awakened in recovery to Mike’s smiling face, feeling pretty good. I didn’t remember one thing about the procedure, which lasted less than 30 minutes. From start to finish, I was at the hospital less than three hours and had a great nap once I got home.
Thankfully for me, I got the all-clear, so I had a lot to celebrate this Thanksgiving. I am beyond glad I sucked it up and got it done, and I will continue with the screening process as often as my doctor suggests because watching my daughter grow up means more to me than worrying about the fact trained professionals saw my butt – inside and out.
