It's Cancer Awareness Month – and in line with the theme, "CANCER: "Did you know? Get the facts!" – the Belize Cancer Society today held a forum on cervical cancer. The opening address was given by Dianne Finnegan whose husband Michael Finnegan beat prostate cancer, and whose sister-in-law lost her battle with cervical cancer. Finnegan told the crowded room at the Radisson about the lessons she's leaned.
Dianne Finnegan - Sister in Law of Cervical Cancer victim
"In discussion with my sister in law when she was alive she said if she had only gone to the doctor earlier they would have been able to diagnose the cancer in its early stage and be treated."
Delone Pascascio, RN, MN - Belize Cancer Treatment Center
"We continue to see more new referrals, in the last two days we were at the cancer center and we saw a total of perhaps 25 patients - half of which were new referrals. This is really heartbreaking because some of these patients are really young. What we're battling now in terms of the referral are the increasing numbers of Cervical Cancer that are diagnosed in their late stage. The disturbing trend we're seeing is the number of late cases, late stages of young women, one of the cases she was 31 years old, is exceptionally unusual because usually we see those in their early stages and there's able to intervene. What we're seeing right now is a hesitancy to go and check out what may be changing and therefore you wait and think that things will right themselves but in fact they continue to progress and by the time you get to a physician you get this really terrible diagnoses that you are devastated and have to figure out what you're going to do with it."
Jules Vasquez
"What are the warning signals that they should look out for?"
Delone Pascascio, RN, MN
"For many women it starts with maybe some type of discharge that is unusual. For young women it may start with bleeding in between their periods - that is unusual, sometimes the bleeding is heavy but for many women within early stages you don't know that you have it until you go and get a pap smear done. Cervical Cancers are entirely treatable if you catch them in the early stages. Women simply need to know that the signs when there body is changing and when to get to the physician to do a proper medical follow up, at least an assessment of what's going on."
Dianne Finnegan
"Because of her I have taken personal interest in educating myself in the disease. I've learned that the number of Cancer cases can be reduced and many cancer deaths can be prevented and I can use my Cancer risk by consuming a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and maintaining a healthy weight and being physically active."
Jules Vasquez
"What are the lifestyle habits for those who want to avoid Cervical Cancer they should pursue."
Delone Pascascio, RN, MN
"It's really a lifestyle habit for any type of disease that you want to mitigate. Getting enough exercise, staying away from things like smoking, drink in moderation, get early clinical examinations. Men in general are very bad about getting their house cleaning done but generally if you reduce the amount of red meat you eat and eat more fish and vegetables and little less carbohydrate, do physical activities on a regular basis and generally keep yourself in good general condition - you are actually well on your way to preventing some of these devastating illnesses that can occur."
The symposium is a two day event and tomorrow – the subject will be pediatric cancer.
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