Many people with cancer continue to work through their diagnosis for a variety of reasons. Some are passionate about their jobs, some need the distraction, and others are trying to make ends meet in the face of “financial toxicity.” They all work hard with the time they have.
And then there is Chadwick Boseman.
Chadwick Boseman is famous for portraying Black heroes such as Justice Thurgood Marshall, Jackie Robinson, and King T’Challa of Wakanda, AKA the Black Panther. He continued to work and inspire millions of people through his 4-year fight with colon cancer and tragically passed away on August 28, 2020 at the age of 43. As the world mourned, there were many news pieces urging people to know their risk and get screened, especially young Black men who are at higher risk.
It is undeniably important to increase education, awareness, and individual action. I would argue that it is more important to remove the barriers that stand in the way of these choices. A Superhero works to save the world!
Know Your Risk!
According to the American Cancer Society, these are your modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors:
- Risk Factors You Can Change
- Smoking
- Diet high in red meat or processed foods
- Drinking more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks each day
- “Couch Potato” Physical inactivity
- Overweight or Obese
- Risk Factors You Can Not Change
- Race
- Age
- Family History
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBS or IBD)
- Inherited / Genetic conditions
Be a Superhero!
The easiest way to be a Superhero is to talk to your family openly and honestly about health risk. Ask your parents about what conditions your family members have had and when they were diagnosed and then pass this information on to your children. Knowing you are at risk can increase screening rates, catching the disease early, and your chances of surviving! This counts for colon cancer but also heart disease, dementia, and other cancers.
Increase your Superhero powers by engaging your community and advocating for healthier environments for everyone! Let’s take some of those health recommendations from Tired to Wired:
- “Eat a Healthy Diet with More Fruits and Vegetables”
- The USDA defines a Food Desert as “an area where people have limited access to a variety of healthy and affordable food.”
- We cannot simply tell the millions of people without access to healthy food to “just” eat healthy food. We must increase availability, reduce cost, and define what healthy options are
- Support organizations like the Food Empowerment Project or Hunger Free America which fight to increase access
- Advocate for greater access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. This vital program is included in the Farm Bill and you can contact your representatives today to advocate for greater access to healthy food for people who require assistance.
- “Get More Physical Activity”
- There are a lot of barriers to getting enough exercise including Time, Energy, and Access to Safe Spaces for exercise.
- The approaches will be different for each community but here is a general plan of action. You could advocate for:
- Sidewalks! Make sure there are curb cuts too for people with disabilities
- Parks and community centers! These often have affordable gyms and exercise classes
- Bike Lanes! Safer commuting and more activity all in one
- On a larger cultural note, Black people are often subject to higher policing and suspicion in the community. Improving the safety of our communities also includes re-imagining police presence and increasing funding for community led safety programs.
- “Stop Smoking”
- Quitting Smoking is HARD! On average it takes nearly 30 attempts!
- Despite this difficulty, more than 3 out of 5 adults who have ever smoked have successfully quit.
- Counseling and medication help make it easier to quit but not all insurance plans cover smoking cessation aides.
- Support the Medicaid Expansion under the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). This requires Medicaid programs to provide smoking cessation coverage for people on Medicaid who are likely not able to afford these products out-of-pocket.
- The CDC also has free resources to quit smoking available to everyone. Right now! Go tell your friends!
Know the Signs and Symptoms! Get Screened!
Signs and Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer include:
- A change in bowel habits, pooing, that lasts longer than a few days
- Constipation, Diarrhea, or Narrow / Thinner bowel movements
- Blood in your stool / poo
- This may be bright red or dark brown / black depending on where the bleeding is happening
- Anemia, low red blood cell counts
- Abdominal cramping or belly pain
- Weakness or fatigue
- Unintended weight loss
Most of these symptoms are also associated with less serious conditions but it’s important to get them checked out just in case!
It is recommended that all people with average risk start getting screened for colon cancer starting at 45 years old. This was recently reduced from 50 years old to 45 years because of the increasing rates of young people being diagnosed. If you have increased risk factors, like family history of colon cancer, your doctor may recommend screening earlier.
Sometimes, people are concerned that a colonoscopy will be uncomfortable and put off getting screened. You should know that there are options! There are also stool based tests where a sample of poo is tested for the presence of blood or chemicals that indicate the presence of cancer. Discuss with your doctor which options are best.
Be A Superhero!
One last call to action! All the education and awareness in the world will not help if people do not have access to healthcare and screening tests! Advocate to increase access through insurance coverage, including Medicaid, and reducing the number of uninsured or under insured Americans.
Remember that Chadwick Boseman was diagnosed at age 39. He may have benefited from increased awareness of symptoms and earlier screening. There are also larger social factors like feeling embarrassed talking about bowel habits with your doctor, if you have a regular doctor at all. There are so many ways we can push for change and make the world a better place in his honor.
Take care of yourself and take care of your community. We can all be Superheroes!
