My wife is a poster person for regular checkups

I could have lost her 22 years ago, or 10, or this year. But I didn’t. Why? Because my wife is a realist and an opportunist.

She realizes that diseases can strike us all and that opportunities for early detection and treatment abound, and by gosh, she has always taken full advantage of state-of-the-art testing and early treatment.

Not once but three times her diligence has resulted in very early detection and successful treatment of cancer. All were potentially severe: colon, melanoma and breast cancer.

The sole purpose of this article is to encourage those of you who have little or no routine medical attention to seriously reconsider regular full checkups.

Consider this: not only is my wife still with me, she is an active, vibrant volunteer (in general venues). She has only slightly slowed down during the very tolerable treatment enabled by early detection.

She has needed only surgery, radiation and limited drugs – no chemo. In fact, only her close friends even know she has had cancer.

Here is the bottom line: if this article persuades any readers to begin regular checkups, she will have taken her public service to a new high. And, there will be more people like me who are fortunate to continue to have a healthy, active soul mate.

Now, please, reach for your phone.

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