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Colon Cancer Awareness
CONNECTION NEWSLETTER January – February – March 2024
New Year’s Goals: Progress, Not Perfection
Dawn M. Borromeo Beaulieu, MD Associate Professor of Medicine, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition
Who is at risk for colorectal cancer? Excluding skin cancers, colon cancer is the third most commonly occurring cancer in both women and men in the United States. Anyone with a colon is at risk for colorectal cancer (CRC). Some racial groups have a higher risk for CRC and are more likely to be diagnosed at a later stage.
The start of the new year often encourages us to make healthy changes by setting a goal or resolution. Additionally, we might reflect on previous resolutions during this time. If you’re like me, there are probably incomplete resolutions in years past. When we don’t achieve our goals in entirety, it can be easy to feel discouraged, but I want to encourage you to acknowledge the success you DID achieve last year and to practice kindness toward yourself this year.
Here are four tips for encouraging yourself when working on a goal: uM ake a realistic plan. Life happens, so be sure to include flexibility for
when you inevitably will need it. By expecting obstacles, you will be ready for challenges when they arise.
Makenzie Parks, LCSW Clinical Counselor
vD on’t quit. Even if you don’t meet your goal as originally intended, you will still be taking steps toward achieving it so long as you don’t give up.
wA djust as needed. If you find yourself a few weeks into your resolution and haven’t met the goal as much as intended, consider adjusting your goal to something you know you can achieve.
xK eep it in perspective. Remember, just because we didn’t complete our goal perfectly doesn't mean we didn’t grow, improve, or come closer to what we want to achieve.
If you find you are particularly hard on yourself when you don’t reach a goal, consider reaching out to Work/Life Connections-EAP for support. Call 615.936.1327 to schedule a confidential appointment with one of our EAP counselors.
How can I help prevent colorectal cancer? Screening... screening... screening. Colon cancer typically develops from a precancerous polyp in the rectum or colon which can be asymptomatic (no symptoms in the affected person). A screening test looks for a disease when the person does not have symptoms. If found at early stages, colon cancer is treatable in 90% of people. The American Cancer Society and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines do not recommend any one test and stress that all tests are options and can save a life. At what age should I begin screening? Many people can have early-stage colon cancer with no symptoms and the only way to be diagnosed is through screening. (continued on page 2)