Are There Any Other Cancer Survivors Here?

I've been Colon C ancer Free for five years now. Fortunately they caught it early enough that they were able to get it all out. I think I'm asking because here in Wilmington THE RELAY OF LIFE will be held in April and also because of Elizabeth Edwards, who, as you all know by now, had her cancer return.

Originally Posted by CATTYBIRD

I've been Colon C ancer Free for five years now. Fortunately they caught it early enough that they were able to get it all out. I think I'm asking because here in Wilmington THE RELAY OF LIFE will be held in April and also because of Elizabeth Edwards, who, as you all know by now, had her cancer return.

Click to expand...

I am not a survivor, but I'd like to say congrats on being cancer free for five years!

My husband and I donate to breast cancer funds every year. DH says that breasts are our most important natural resource and should be protected at all costs!

Congrats! Im no cancer patient but I've had many colonoscopies to make sure everything stays legit! My family has a huge issue with breast cancer! My aunt has been in remission for about two years (she was stage three)! I seen what a struggle it was (I had to shave my aunts head when she got Chemo... It was very hard but Im so happy she is still with me)! My grandma also had breast cancer and my mom has had a breast cancer scare! I admire your strength and here is to many more remission years! Stay strong!

Originally Posted by CATTYBIRD

I've been Colon C ancer Free for five years now. Fortunately they caught it early enough that they were able to get it all out. I think I'm asking because here in Wilmington THE RELAY OF LIFE will be held in April and also because of Elizabeth Edwards, who, as you all know by now, had her cancer return.

Click to expand...

The one ribbon you see that I have is for prostate cancer awareness. I was diagnosed 12 years ago as beyond help with protate cancer, it had spread to my bladder. All this because I listened to the idiot doctors telling men to wait until they were 50 to get a PSA test. I am extremely lucky to be alive. I got my PSA done at age 47, Had I waited until 50 like some doctors are out there are telling men, I would of course now be dead. Any man here: get your PSA done if you are in your 40s. I am a member of a cancer support group and there are MANY men there who had prostate cancer in their forties like I did. They are alive because they had their PSA did when in their 40s like I did, and not wait around until their 50s to be checked when in many cases they are already on their death bed.

I am well aware there are mainly women on this site. If you have a man you love and they are in their forties or above make them go get a simple PSA test once a year. There is nothing to it; it can be part of any blood test that should be done as part of an annual physical. This is the most serious thing I have ever seen here on TCS and I have never been more serious when I beg you to save your own life or the life of somebody you love.

I had cervical cancer in 1972 so I've been cancer-free for 35 years.

Glad to see so many dedicated and strong survivors! Im so happy you are all still with us!

I had cervical cancer that was caught and removed just after metastasis but before it had spread up the canal.

Because the only treatment I had was the LEEP procedure to remove the tissue, I have never really viewed myself as a cancer survivor. A survivor, yes, but from a difficult life in general.

I consider myself extremely fortunate that it was caught when it was and that I never had to deal with any further treatments.

My stepmom, on the other hand, is at the end of her 5-year window in recovery from breast cancer, and is doing well so far, knock wood! The ribbon I have is for her, and I have helped to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research, so it is an important cause to me.

I have had cervical cancer removed with a LEEP and cryo. They never did bother to say that it was cancer until I went to a new Nurse Practitioner. I never considered myself a cancer survivor either, GingersMom.

Cervical cancer here, too. Caught it early and opted for a hysterectomy in 1990.

Congratulations to all of you survivors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a reminder to everyone on the board how vital it is to have a colonoscopy done at least every 5 years. This is the only way to prevent colon cancer. We almost lost my 40-year-old brother this year due to diverticulitis, which could have been spotted if he had undergone a colonscopy the year before. My brother is so incredibly lucky to be alive today (surgeons said there is no medical explanation as to why or how he is still alive). So, please please please take care of yourselves and your health.

Ive had two already and Im only 23 and female! Theyre a breeze and no one should be embarrased or afraid to have one! I've had three endoscopies as well and a bravo pH surgery! Im becoming a champion! I think everyone should get a colonoscopy before the recommended age (by doctors) better safe than sorry! Plus you're drugged and the drugs cause amnesia (some cases not but its painless)!

I just want to second all the encouraging words about testing.

My father has survived bladder cancer, colon cancer, and several occurrences of skin cancer (as well as a six-way heart bypass). In the case of the bladder cancer, he refused to see a doctor about the bleeding until it got so bad that he finally agreed to be taken to the emergency room. The great loss of blood weakened him so much that the surgery took a bigger toll on him than it needed to, and he had to have four units transfused.

After that, I became a nag and kept dragging him to doctors for checkups and precautionary testing -- and that's how everything else got caught early enough to be handled with relative ease. He'll be 86 next month, and in spite of all he's been through, he's in remarkably good shape.

So get tested. And don't accept a test result that you just don't feel is right! A couple of years ago, Clyde walked across my chest and revealed to me a lump I would never have found otherwise, so I went to my doctor. She couldn't find it at all, and told me not to worry -- it was probably just "an area of dense tissue."

I have no insurance, so it was tempting to accept that... but my best friend works for the American Cancer Society, and he found a program through the Centers for Disease Control that would allow me to be tested more thoroughly at reduced cost. Sure enough, there was indeed a very elusive lump. It was removed and turned out to be benign (thank goodness!) -- but the surgeon discovered that I have a condition that multiplies my cancer risk by five to eight times... so now I know I have to be very alert. (Thank you, Clydie!)

By the way -- they're saying now that MRI is more accurate than the standard mammogram... but sources for MRI are harder to find, so go ahead and make your appointment months ahead of your due date.

If you're lucky enough to have insurance, or can afford medical care yourself, don't hesitate a moment! You should get your colonoscopy and endoscopy and echocardiogram and stress test (and probably some others I'm not thinking of) as early as you can... and repeat them regularly as you age.

And now if I can just get insured, I'll take my own advice!

My best friend Pam is an ovarian cancer survivor, and has been for the past 12 years

My mum although she's now past away, was a survivor of mouth cancer as well

Well done all of you And always remember, where theres life, theres hope

My brother is a cancer survivor! He was diagnosed it 1995 with Hodgkin's disease and was in remission until this past fall when they found new lumps. He has just finished his 4 months of chemo and is starting his radiation treatment on Monday! Prognosis is excellent!

Everyone is talking about colonoscopies, but one thing that we need to remember (females out there anyway!), is get your yearly Pap smears. It is the #1 way to prevent the most curable cancer out there--Cervical cancer. I am a stickler for this now! (well, yearly's anyway; I am not as good as I should be with my extra checks since I am so busy when Dr's offices are open!)

I see all doctors on a regular basis (Im a health hazard) I have quite a few specialists! I always have my regular paps (I have to anyway to get birth control refills) has anyone had the gardisil vaccinations (if so feedback would be great)! Best of luck to your brother snosrap5! He sounds like a fighter who won't loose the battle!

sorry just wanted to ask what is a colonoscopy?? iv not heard of this one before? in the Uk we have our smears every 3 years its only every year if we get a bad smear with some bad cells or something which i had after having my first daughter but i was lucky and it cleared. my nan died of cancer 5 years ago , she had breast cancer but 2 years before my grandad died so she decided she would rather be dead then to carry on the fight. so she left it untill it was to late to do anything about it. RIP nan.
and congrats to all of you who have survied cancer and to your familys.

Yes I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2005 and have been cancer free since early 2006. Congratulations on your 5 years of freedom, I hope we remain cancer-free for the rest of our lives.