And for a Friday after getting news of a very dear friend having been diagnosed with Prostrate Cancer….. some thoughts…..
The Race of Hope Gold Cup in Support of Indian Cancer Society
Those of us the “Senior Citizens” well qualified at Sixty plus must be prepared for all eventualities. Yesterday is Passé, tomorrow is uncertain….. enjoy the today taking all into stride. I hate when people are afraid of informing of Cancer. It’s just another disease and thanks to Scientific advancements, is preventable and curable. So let no one support any stigma or guilt. If one gets afflicted, so be it. I chided my very dear friend for withdrawing from our What’s group, not informing me, being sullen and wanting no one to know. That’s not on. All friends are there to support. Massage the Spirit and ensure the Best POSSIBLE is done.
India reports a Million new cases of Cancer a year. Whilst Breast and Cervical Cancer are most common amongst women, Prostrate is the biggest attacker for Men. All those above 50 MUST do annual medical check and test for PSA ( Prostrate Specific Analysis ). With age, the reading goes higher. But if PSA crosses 4, get alert and take action. Frequent urination, difficulty, painful and enlarged Prostrate must be attended.
There are so many prestigious and honourable institutions helping Cancer Patients. TATA Memorial Hospital in Parel Mumbai and Regional Cancer Centre at Trivandrum – the brainchild of Padmasri Dr.M Krishnan Nair – come immediately to mind. Also the yeomen services done by Indian Cancer Society, the oldest, Voluntary and non profit Organisation spearheaded by Professionals including my good friends Uday Khanna and Naveen Kshatriya, successful corporate Czars, men of high Ethical Standards and now into Social service.
Let each one of us get involved in helping each other in the hour of need. Let us work to prevent and towards early detection of Cancer. Let us build a healthy India, the Ethical way, the Empathy way, the SEEGOS way.