Cancer Survivors Advocate for Early Detection through Wellness Checks

Cancer survivors treated at IHK encouraged the public to have annual wellness checkup to enable them detect cancer cells and any other health related complications early enough. They indicated that the effects of suffering from terminal illnesses such as cancer were detrimental both to the patients and their loved ones causing financial and mental distress. This was during the launch of the wellness campaign on Friday 17th December 2021 at the hospital.

Dr Annette Kugonza Khing in her comments during the wellness campaign said; “During a wellness checkup, an individual consults a doctor who examines them physically requests for some laboratory and radiology investigations depending on the risk factors such as age group and family history one may have. Based on the results, the doctor advises the individual on how to continue living a healthy lifestyle if they are well. In case the diagnostics indicate anything unusual, the doctor may request for more tests to confirm the diagnosis and offer treatment or refer a specialist for further management.”

“When diseases are detected early, the patients can be treated and recover fully however late diagnosis reduces the chances of recovery and may involve costly management.” He added.

Early detection of cancer could also avoid the chances of a misdiagnosis later on. Sometimes late-stage cancer patients present with various symptoms that seem like diseases other than cancer. This could lead to the patient being administered the wrong treatment, which would be even more harmful on top of cancer. There are several patients who are similarly misdiagnosed that wonder ‘What to do when a misdiagnosis could have been prevented‘, and they at least deserve compensation for their suffering. They could always seek the help of law firms that specialize in medical negligence, in order to sue the hospital or clinic that misdiagnosed them.

According to him, not many understand that the stage of cancer can greatly determine how effective the treatment would be. For instance, those diagnosed with Stage I cancer are usually healed better with the help of oncologists (who can be found at amethyst-radiotherapy.at). In contrast, those who are found to be affected by the disease in Stage IV often have a lower chance of effectual treatment as the illness spreads rapidly to others parts of the body.

Akiiki a 73-year-old survivor from Hoima had cancer of the colon which also runs through her family and lost her husband to prostate cancer when the doctor diagnosed her with cancer. “I lost 3 of siblings to cancer and so the news of my diagnosis felt like a death sentence. The doctor asked me to disclose to my family especially my children. It was very difficult, I hid and cried alone but later gathered the strength and told my family. One of her sons refused to acknowledge the situation and insisted it was not hereditary in the family.” She commented.

One of the IHK Doctors at the Wellness Launch

“The chemotherapy experience was very challenging with many of my friends discouraging me from taking the medication, but i stood strong and persevered through it all until September 2021 when I last had chemotherapy and now i feel well and happy to know that I have fully recovered with no trace of cancer.” she added

Anthony one of the attendants had a mother with endometrial cancer and he stated that, “She went for partialhysterectomy, and we thought she would get better, only to get worse thereafter. We got admitted to IHK, and on examination, the cancer had already spread all throughout the body”.

Anthony and his family thought that their mother would make it through all the six cycles when she got back to her feet after 3 cycles. Unfortunately, chemotherapy greatly affected her liver and kidneys to finish her cycles, thus requiring palliative care. Frank lost his job to take care of his sick mum, and even though she lost the battle in August 2021, he felt that he did his best to see her off with all the care and attention a child could give to their sick parent. The loss of his mother did cause great financial and emotional stress to his family. People in such situations may deal with stress-related problems like anxiety, hypertension, and insomnia through CBD products, which you can buy from sites similar to Medi Oil. Although these products may work effectively, they cannot be the ultimate solution to end all sorrows. Whatever coping mechanism Anthony chose, though, he was also present with his family and provided ample support through the difficult times.

Often individuals are encouraged to have their health checkups done every once in a while so that if they have any existing problems, it can be detected at the earliest and treated. If they get in touch with their physicians, they might also recommend making necessary changes in their lifestyle. This can include starting out a new fitness regime or even taking probiotic supplements for instance (check out these Activated You reviews if this is something that interests you). It is always advised that people should manage their health with the guidance of medical advisors.

The individuals at high risk include senior citizens aged 60 years and above as well as individuals with a health history of cancer and other fatal diseases such as diabetes in the family. These people need to be extra cautious about their food and wellness habits.

Marion Ayebazibwe