It is believed that people deal with grief and tragedy, especially when faced with a catastrophic loss, in five stages. The five stages are denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. We cannot eliminate grief or tragedy altogether from our lives but we can avoid our exposure to unnecessary ones.
Hearing that someone has fallen victim to this deadly disease, a chill runs up our spine. It attacks suddenly and rarely does it let go. The only known treatment of cancer until now is either prevention or early detection in its initial stages. Previously, screening tests were advised specifically for people from high-risk environments like coal miners or people with asbestos exposure, but nowadays it seems we all tend to fall under this category with very little clean water and air left to drink and breathe.
For a majority of our society, a doctor is warranted only after we have exhausted ourselves on all conservative measures our friends, family, relatives, and neighbors tend to suggest. These conservative remedies may vary from a good night’s rest to drinking warm water all day long to over-the-counter fever/cold medicine, etc. The list goes on. We need to think twice. Cancer patients do not essentially feel ill or look ill. Out of all the different types of cancers known to medical science, about one-third of them are asymptomatic and are detected only at an advanced stage—a stage where there is very less that can be done. No certain age group or sex falls under this category as it attacks both the old and young equally depending on their lifestyle.
People who indulge in smoking and/or drinking and are well informed about its health hazards have in a way consented to and are welcoming cancer with arms wide open where Darwin’s theory of “survival of the fittest” no longer applies and is rather modified into “survival of the luckiest.” There is very little we can do for this breed of gamblers, however, no matter how apathetic these people may seem for the time being, if it comes down to a positive diagnosis of cancer as a purgatory of self-abuse, they invest a huge amount of their energy and money solely for their survival, for as long as they can.
Ovarian cancer is also responsible in claiming alarming numbers of lives each year in Nepal. There are wide varieties of screening tests which helps in decreasing the mortality and morbidity rate from ovarian cancer. The screening can vary from physical examination, laboratory tests, imaging procedures to genetic tests. Though people today are aware of various modalities of primary prevention, like benefits of exercise, yoga and low-cholesterol diet for heart disease, still not so many people know about simple tests like PAP smear for cervical cancer screening or proper way of self-examination for breast cancer. Healthcare providers have been practicing screening tests for cancer for quite a number of years now and these preventive tests are mostly cost-effective, affordable, and accessible.
There is relatively less number of women who are aware of these tests and even amongst those who are well aware, unfortunately, very few are willing to undergo these tests. In a country like Nepal, women undergoing these tests for preventive measures are still on the low side as not every lady here welcomes the idea of exposing their body and/or their private parts to doctors just to know if one is okay. Our new generation of young women also seem apathetic to health issues as they consider themselves immune to many diseases, save for STDs. Amongst them, some youngsters are leading a lifestyle so hazardous, that an alarm goes off everytime I see them. Working in a center dedicated solely to womens’ care, I have seen cases in which even a woman as young as 21 had fallen victim to cancer and was diagnosed only at an advanced stage.
Until now, various government and non-government organizations have been working to provide screening tests in general population but still people do not seem to reap these benefits due to reasons varying from fear, inaccessibility or simply ignorance. We need to know about these tests and visit our physician routinely.
Cancer brings with it an endless suffering for the patient as well as their family. It brings with it a huge emotional as well as financial burden. With a cancer patient in my family, I know it is nothing more frustrating than seeing your loved one slowly succumb to a disease that we have very little control over. There’s nothing we can do but we should make a difference when we can. Medical science has given us this opportunity—to save ourselves from a fate which has engulfed millions of people at this moment. Prevention is definitely better than cure and with cancer, either its early prevention or no cure at all.
Writer is a medical officer at Paropakar Maternity & Women’s Hospital, Kathmandu
shreyashiaryal@gmail.com
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