Close Encounters with the Big C

We all know someone—a parent, grandparent, sibling, friend, colleague—who has/had cancer. But, for me, this week, a great big cancer scare never hit this close to home.  Suffice it to say that I spent much of the week at the hospital caring for this relative; waiting with bated breath for the biopsy and colonoscopy results; and praying endlessly for a successful operation that would remove the mass—at that time, we weren’t sure if it was benign or malignant—that blocked his colon.

Thank God the operation went well yesterday. Initial results showed that the mass is benign and my relative is on his way to a smooth recovery. Phew, nothing like a big scare like that to shake up your world and almost mandate you to reassess your life.

In the physical aspect, good nutrition and exercise are key to cancer prevention.  I hope you can say YES to these questions below:

• Are you conscious of your health?
• You do know that running alone isn’t going to cure you of all your health problems, right? A 21k doesn’t give you the license to eat all the junk in sight. 
• Have you been eating your fruits and veggies (specifically great cancer fighters like grapes, melon and broccoli) just like mom taught you? 
• Do you eat skinless chicken or fish more often than red meat?
• Do you use olive oil instead of butter?
• Do you enjoy home-cooked meals more than dining at McDo or Jollibee?  
• Do you drink tons of water?
• Have you already quit smoking? Or, you never smoked at all, right?
• Do you get a regular massage not just to relieve the aches and pains in your legs but also to alleviate stress?
• Do you put sunblock before a run?  Yes, it’s sticky and slimy but it’s worth the trouble, guys!
• Have you been running (or exercising at all) and not just sitting here reading this blog?
• Do you know what you just stuffed into your mouth?

Speaking of cancer, there’s an upcoming 8k race called Run Against Pain on October 18 at the Quirino Grandstand, Roxas Blvd.  This is celebration of Global Day Against Cancer Pain, for the benefit of the Pain Society of the Philippines.  

I’m still choosing between Run Against Pain, Takbong May Yabang at Alabang, and Paa-Bilisan on the 19th. (Click List of Races for more info)  Or, maybe I’ll just enjoy a long slow run on Sunday.  Let’s see.