October was breast cancer awareness month. November is prostate cancer awareness month.
There aren't enough months for all the cancers out there.
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research and the World Cancer Research Fund, cancer is a leading cause of death around the world and its incidence continues to rise. 
Each year 12.7 million people discover they have cancer and 7.6 million people die from the disease. However, evidence shows that 30-40 percent of these deaths can be prevented, and one-third can be cured through early diagnosis and treatment.
One of my wife's long-time friends lost her father to colon cancer just a couple of years ago. She knew she was at high risk of having the disease also, but decided not to see a doctor to be screened.
Unfortunately, she's now undergoing treatments for advanced colon cancer. Though the cancer was not preventable, she says it could have been diagnosed earlier and perhaps would have been better treated.
Cancer is no laughing matter.
It's worth the "inconvenience" of annual checkups, regular self-checks and any other method of early detection. It could mean the difference between life and death. And it can bring peace of mind.
For your own sake, and the sake of your loved ones, get checked for cancer -- especially if you have a family history -- and pray for and reach out to individuals and families dealing with the disease ... and with the loss it often brings.
Brett Campbell can be reached at 601-934-0901 or brettcampbell@bellsouth.net.
