FORT LEE, Va. (Nov. 17, 2016) -- Growing up, I always thought my dad was like a superhero. He is a strong, soft-spoken, hardworking Italian gentleman with many friends and a loving family. He is well-known in my hometown as "Jiggy."
Of course, I'm older now but that hasn't changed my admiration for "Super-Jiggy" in the least. On top of being a great "Papa Jiggs" to his grandchildren, he continues to amaze me with his strength of character. In recognition of the November observance of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month, let me tell you about a situation that proves that point.
When you hear the words "You have cancer," it is a shock and a scare. This happened to our family about two years ago when my dad went to the emergency room for a sharp pain in his lower back. He thought he strained it digging up a rose bush for my mom. It was confirmed by a CT scan the mass in his pancreas is cancer, and it is inoperable.
After a consultation with the oncologist, he began a regimen of chemotherapy, which has extended his quality of life. Due to healthy eating, routine exercise and a positive family support system, my dad is still enjoying his favorite activities -- traveling, trips to the beach and going to the grandkid's soccer games.
There are 53,000 people diagnosed annually with pancreatic cancer, and 47,000 of them do not survive the first year. Our story is a bit different since my dad is one of the few still living after two years.
Dealing with this illness has taught us a lot. First, there are not a lot of preventive screenings for pancreatic cancer. Also, it is hard to detect and the early symptoms might not alert someone to seek a doctor. A good pancreatic cancer site is www.pancan.org. It provides information about early diagnosis, genetic testing, statistics and risks due to family history.
The last part is key. Three of my family members had cancer. It was ovarian for my grandmother, my grandfather had esophageal cancer and mother's younger sister had colon cancer. Knowing that history and the close connection of my dad's illness is a warning sign for me as well as my family members to seek preventive screenings. It is important to take it seriously, ask questions and not ignore warning signs.
Everyone should look for these early indicators of cancer: changes in bowel or bladder habits, a sore that doesn't heal, unusual bleeding or discharge, and lumps or thickened areas in the breast or testicles.
Today, there are many more resources available compared to our grandparent's generation. Find out about preventive screenings, research, early detection, treatment, education and more at www.cancer.org. Remember, early detection is the best prevention.
Editor's note: Sources for this article include the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and the American Cancer Society.
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