In Nevada: Nov is official Lung Cancer Awareness Month!

Our beloved Lung Cancer Awareness Monthl has signed a proclamation stating that November is This Is Reno story.  YAY!  So, what does this mean to you (even if you don’t live in NV) or me?  It means that over the next 30 days, we all hopefully we will pause and consider the choices we make such as, do you smoke?  Are you exposed to smoke?  What about your loved ones?  If you said yes to these questions, now ask yourself this question:  Have you considered the consequences and have you made a conscious decision to take that risk and that you can also afford that risk (cancer and other smoking related diseases are quite expensive in addition to can your family continue without your income)?  Yes, these are brutal but realistic questions.  If you answered no to those questions, then is there someone you love or work with that you want to reach out and educate so that they can understand the consequences?  This is a simple time for us make a difference regarding lung cancer.  That’s all.

I think what makes it hard for people is that there is no perceived immediate danger from smoking.   There are no immediate symptoms or problems.  I think we live in the moment and planning ahead about our health slips our minds.  We plan for college, we plan for vacation, we plan for retirement,  but do we actually sit down and say, “hey, I had better stay healthy so I can help finish paying off college, hold my grand kids and enjoy retirement?”  I think not.
A dear family friend, who was like a second mother to me, died of lung cancer when I was in my early 20’s.  She didn’t smoke, but lived with a smoker.  Others die from lung cancer who did smoked too.  A close friend’s mother died this summer after an amazingly brief battle with lung cancer.   She smoked almost her whole adult life.  She was the perfect statistic dying 10 years before her group of friends.  My poor father is outliving his pals as they die off from lung cancer, emphysema and COPD (all lung related diseases).  I guess the era of the 5pm cocktail and cigarette is ending with smoke related diseases?  I’m not sure. Never-the-less, we’re watching these stats first hand and it is not pretty when these diseases are preventable.

Below are a few interesting and short stories about Lung Cancer Awareness Month that you might enjoy reading (the celebrity slide is for fun).  I hope you pause and take a moment to think about your health and your future, if you already haven’t!
Slide show of Celebrities who quit smoking–local story about Governor Sandoval proclaiming November Lung Cancer Awareness month.
Huffington Post: November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month: non-smokers get lung cancer too–this article highlights Michelle Graff-Radford, who  was 47 the first time she was diagnosed with lung cancer.  The diagnosis stunned her. A non-smoker who taught 10 yoga and fitness classes a week
Slide show of Celebrities who quit smoking–okay, here is a fun slide show of celebs who quit smoking.  Bottom line anyone who quits smoking is a celebrity!  I can’t begin to imagine what is it like to give up an addition so I bow to all that have given up smoking.