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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1979-03-29, Page 35Supplement to The Goderich Signal -Star and The Clinton News -Record, Thursday, March 29, 1979 Stamp out Cancerphobia Remember smallpox? One person in four will have some form of cancer in his lifetime. But the real battle that we have to wage is Cancerphobia. The fear of cancer. Everybody has it. The word alone is almost synonymous with fear. But in the early 1800's, so was smallpox. The. mere mention of the name struck fear in the hearts of early pioneers. An outbreak could wipe out a settlement. Before that in Europe, it was the Plague. And it wiped out almost half of the population, So when you talk about ..... felar it has to be put in perspective. And when you look at the strides made by medical science in stamping out the very diseases that once caused people to flee in terror, you realize that what has happened is that not only have we come :, up with immunization serums, but we have educated people to recognize symptoms and to know what to do about them. If you're over 35 you remember polio out- breaks that closed entire school systems. Today polio strikes no fear in parents' hearts because of an effective vaccine programme. Because cancer has so far resisted treatment by a single vaccine, we stilly fear it. But we shouldn't. Bedause, and this will - come as a surprise to most people, 'studies of cancer around the world suggest that 80 percent of ' it is related to en- vironmental factors and theoretically could be prevented. This is so important a statement that we ask yougo back and read that last sentence again,, Notice, -we•- didn't 'say `cured' ... we said `prevented'. Like everything else in life, there are just . two little hitches in this idea. Firstly, we have to use effectively all the knowledge and skill we have at hand; secondly, we have to educate you and the rest of the people In this ' world, that by taking seven common sense precautions, we can drastically lower the odds that you will ever have any form of cancer. Unfortunately there is an almost universal •• attitude toward cancer prevention that amounts to apathy. Same thing happened during the plague. People thought it was the Will of -God'. That if you died it was fate. ' Then ever so slowly, one or two enlightened people. discovered that sensible hygenic prac- tices prevented the spread of this dread disease. We can look back from _our plaee•a•n-•tim-e--and--say- that not to' wash regularly, or not disinfect areas, seems ludicrous. We take better precautions today when someone in our ' own family has a cold than we did a few hundred years ago for a killer disease. The key to this advance .lies in one single word ... education. Knowing what something was arid what to do about it, eradicated many diseases and is bound to reduce still further ailments such as cancer. It is for these reasons that we • have spent a great deal of time and effort to come up with seven simple steps that can quickly alert, you to the possibility of cancer. And that's important because if it can • be detected soon enough there is , an excellent chance chance that it can be cured. For example, early, detection and treatment of skin cancer now give' us•..n.ear.ly--.-a 400._perceint -percent— rate of success in caring it. Admittedly, the rate is' lower with internal cancer, but it's still pretty good — if you can detect it soon enough and • take treatment. Harold Knisley of Goderich, whose story about his bout with skin cancer was in last year's special cancer edition, is still enjoying good health. The former superintendent of education had checkup just last week and was given "a good report". (photo by Joanne Buchanan) Snowmobilersride big money source Units of the Canadian Cancer Society rely on many volunteers and group proj-ects to help realize their financial goals. ' One of the major contributors to the Huron Unit is the' Benmiller Court of the Canadian Foresters who have .-spon.sor-ed_a--s.no-w-m-abi- rally in aid.' of cancer research. Walter McIlwain, project chairman of the Forester snowmobile rally reported that this year the event , raised $6,500 for the Huron Unit. That figure represents a $1•,500 increase over last years donation. Over 100 snowmobile enthusiasts participated in the 50 mile rally and through the generosity of the snowmobilers and those who sponsored them,• the event was the le most suoc ssfuiyet-- All of the proceeds' from the rally ego- to the Cancer Society. Some of it used at the local level and the remainder is used in valuable research in fighting cancer. $45;000 is Huron goal in 1979 April Is cancer month and members of the Huron -Unit of the Cancer Society are geared up for their fund raising campaign. Here Huron Unit campaign v'ee-chairman, Jim Remmington; campaing chairman, Ross McDaniel and publicity director, Howard Aitken urge citizens to give generously to the Cancer Society. (photo by Dave Sykes) Tea Time The annual Daffodil Tea sponsored by the Goderich Branch of the Canadian Cancer Society' will be held on Wed- nesday, April 4 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at the Salvation Army Citadel on Waterf•oo Street, Goderich under the auspices- of all the churches in town. The tea is being co-ordinated by Marnie Langridge and Kelly Daniels of the Salvation Army. Dress up A fashion show; with all proceeds going to the Cancer Society, wilt be held in the South Huron; Recreation Centre in Exeter on Wednesday, April 25 at 7:30 p.m. Fashions will be from the Merry Rags boutique in Grand Bend and emcee for the evening will be Bill Brady' of London rad Tickets for the show are available from local Cancer Society members. They can also be obtained by calling the Cancer Society office in Clinton or by calling Ross McDaniel at 524- 8935.