Health is very important in every family. We, mommies, make sure that our families are not prone to any diseases. There are lots of ways for us to have a healthy family, one is that we need to eat healthy foods and practice a healthy lifestyle. And of course there's this called prevention. 

I am so glad that most of the event that I've attended lately were about health awareness. It really helps me learn more things to know about certain health problem and knowing it will help me and my family knows it. So what I am talking about? Well this March aside from the Women and Children's Month and Fire Prevention Month, it is also the Colon Cancer Awareness Month. So topic that was discussed during the event I've attended is the media briefing for the Colon Cancer Advocacy.  The discussion made by the expert doctors were really informative and did made its impact in me. They really made jargon medical terms to be explain in a simple manner. Though it was vulgar they made it sound like prim and proper.
The event was held at Diamond Hotel and it was sponsored by Wesmont, a division of UNILAB. The event was pushed through by the Philippine Society of Gastroenterologist. The media briefing is regarding Colon Cancer Awareness.
The main thrust of the organization is to make a noise regarding Colon Cancer, the myths people believed about it, and the initiative in calling the attention of the government to have every Filipino citizens above 50 years old to be screened. According to DR. FREDERICK DY, Gastronintestinal oncologist and a leading expert in endoscopy, "Colorectal cancer has certainly become a real concern in the Philippines. The growing number of incidence and mortality worldwide have put the disease as the third most common type of cancer for both men and women, after lung and breast cancers."
According to the recent statistics of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) foremost cancer research and statistics project, GLOBOCAN, there were 4,901 deaths of the 8,553 incidences of colorectal cancer in the Philippines in 2012, which means that more than half of those diagnosed have died from the disease.

It is unfortunate that the level of awareness about colorectal cancer here in the Philippines is much lower than that for other types of cancer such as breasts or lungs. Doctors also find difficulty in urging patients to adopt lifestyle changes for the prevention if colorectal cancer. The earlier the better it is prevented.

“Colorectal cancer us influenced by both modifiable and non-modifiable risks, one of which is lifestyle and diet. But as a lifestyle illness, it is also asymptomatic (displaying no symptoms) is the initial stage,” Dr. Dy says.



As what Dr. Dy mentioned, modifiable risk factors are those that can be changed like obesity, cigarette smoking, alcoholic beverage intake, physical inactivity and increased consumption of red meat. A diet rich in animal fat generally increases risk, while eating food rich in fiber and calcium may possible reduce the risk.

Aside from the modifiable risk factors there are also the non-modifiable risks factor in colorectal cancer. Some of these non-modifiable are the gender, age, and family history. According to Dr. Dy these are factors that cannot be altered. These factors are inherent in a person like the family history of the disease and gender.

With the increase in incidences, colon cancer is now among the deadliest, and recent data show that it's not slowing down either.





"Colon cancer doesn't begin as cancer immediately; it starts with pre-malignant precursors called polyps. If left attended, these polyps grow over time, eventually becoming cancer. For young people, the risk is low, but they are not immune to it. We have young adults developing colorectal cancer. The occurrence is generally uncommon, but if someone has symptoms referable to colorectal cancer, no matter the age, they need to see their doctor or better if they consult a gastroenterologist. Most of colorectal cancer occurs sporadically but some have a strong genetic background. There are also genetic syndromes that also develop a significant number of polyps at a younger age," said Dy.
As to what is always said "prevention is the best medicine" and for the Philippine Society of Gastroenterology, they are aiming to inform every Filipino about colon cancer and encourages everyone to have themselves be screened, most especially and a must are those people ages 50 and up. It is preventable all is needed is the cooperation of every Filipino and of course through the help of the government and every individual.

So, Mommies be well informed about things like this matter, specially to those who have Parents ages 50 and above like me. I will definitely talk to my parents and let them know about Colon Cancer. It was really a big help attending this kind of advocacy. It gives enlightenment about the Colorectal Cancer.