The guidelines for getting a ….

The guidelines for getting a colonoscopy to screen for cancer recently changed because colon and rectal cancers are on the rise in younger folks. The American Cancer Society recommends colorectal cancer testing for everyone starting at age 45, though some people with certain symptoms or risk factors may need to start at a younger age. I lost a 51-year-old friend this year to colon cancer. Another friend who is 52 developed colon cancer and is currently recovering from surgery to remove the mass and 17 lymph nodes and six rounds of chemo. Thankfully, it looks like she’s going to make it, but she will be the first to tell you that she wishes she could go back in time and get a colonoscopy when her doctor suggested she schedule one. Actor Chadwick Boseman (who portrayed Black Panther and Jackie Robinson in films) succumbed to colon cancer last year at 43.

Since I have a history of polyps, I go in every five years. I had another colonoscopy this past week, and the doctor removed yet another polyp. It did not hurt. It was more of an inconvenience — a slight interference in a normal work week.

So please, please, please don’t delay your colonoscopies. They really do save lives, so just do it.