ANDREW:
Hello, and welcome to the American Cancer Society's Cancer Survivors' Network, a service created by and for cancer survivors. In Seattle, I'm your discussion leader, Andrew Schorr. Our topic today: colon cancer for women over 65. On the phone with us are four colon cancer survivors from across the country. These are women who are all over 65 and have completed their treatment; a few, quite some time ago. Over the next few minutes, we'll discuss issues such as: knowing as a survivor that even one statement to a person about your experience can save a life; colostomy and adhesions are often temporary and can be reversed after the colon has healed; facing conflicting information about treatment choices; fighting the secrecy surrounding colon cancer; making sure younger family members are screened; and using a positive attitude and creativity to deal with ileostomy and sexual function. Well, let's begin. Joining us today from Columbus, Ohio, is Janet. Janet, I know you're 63. And 1981 was not such a great year for you. I know you had surgery, and then a colostomy. One year later you had the reversal of your colostomy for colon cancer. In the interim, I know that you were dealing with something that made this even harder. Your mother had colon cancer as well. Is that right?

JANET:
That is correct.

ANDREW:
After you had your treatment, she was being treated. And then she died ofthat disease.

JANET:
Right.

ANDREW:
Well, seeing this come down so hard on you, your mother, and your family, must have been very difficult at the time.

JANET:
At the time it was.

ANDREW:
How did you deal with that?

JANET:
Well, I had a lot of family support. I had an overabundance of friends. They were all here for me and they were able to see me through. So I came through it and, six weeks after my surgery, I was back to work.

ANDREW:
And what work were you doing?

JANET:
I worked at the Department of Housing and Urban Development here in Columbus, and as a realty specialist.

ANDREW:
I think a testimony to getting past all this is the fact that now, many years later, you're with us. And I assume you're doing well?

JANET:
I'm doing well, insofar as the colon cancer is concerned. Since that time, I've had a kidney transplant. And just recently, two weeks ago, I had a pacemaker put in my heart. But I'm still on foot, and walking, and doing fine.

ANDREW:
Well, we're glad to hear that. Now, Janet, going back to this time with your mother. I understand that she didn't really talk about colon cancer openly. How did she describe it?

JANET:
How did she describe it? She did not describe it at all. My mother was a very old-fashioned, close-mouthed person, and I didn't even know she was going to the doctor. She finally told me that she was. I said, "Well, why are you going?" She said, "I have a "condition." She would never tell me, so I finally got in with the doctor. He told me that my mother did have tumors on the colon, and that's how I found out.

ANDREW:
Now, you've been more open. Even back at that time...were you more open about the fact that you were dealing with cancer? And the kind of cancer you were dealing with?

JANET:
At first, I did not know it was cancer. At first, I started bleeding from the rectum, and I was frightened. I didn't know what it was. I had a friend who told me, "Oh, it's just an ulcer." But she became concerned, and she got me in to her doctor. That's when we found out I had tumors, a tumor on the colon.

ANDREW:
So, mentioning it to your friend is what really got you treatment?

JANET:
Right. Because if I had never mentioned it to her, I would probably not be here.

ANDREW:
So, it's important to discuss these issues rather than thinking, "It's a very private area, and bodily functions, and it's nobody else's business." I guess you were suggesting that secrecy could be a death sentence.

JANET:
That is correct.

ANDREW:
So, do you speak about it now?

JANET:
Every chance.

ANDREW:
You have five grown children, and both you and your mother had colon cancer. What have you done within your family to make sure that those kids of yours have a long, and happy, and healthy life?

JANET:
Well, I make sure that they get themselves checked and go to the doctor. One of my twins lives in Seattle, and one of them lives in Los Angeles, and they see about themselves. However, I do have a young daughter who is 36, who was diagnosed last year with breast cancer. Just last week she had another biopsy and something had shown up on the right side. They don't think it's very bad, but they're going to take care of it. She knows now that she gets right to the doctor. You stay at the doctor's office. You know to keep yourself checked.

ANDREW:
And because colon cancer can sometimes have a family connection, there's a heightened awareness in your family about that?

JANET:
Yes.

ANDREW:
You mentioned breast cancer. Certainly we're very sorry to hear that your daughter is dealing with that, but that seems to be much more public. What are you doing to make sure that colon cancer is something that people discuss as well?

JANET:
Every opportunity I have. I belong to several groups and organizations. I'm a commissioner here and, whenever I just sit around talking, I will bring up the subject. I know when it first happened to me, when I went back to work, when anyone came up to say something to me, I said, "Get yourself checked." I explained to them that I had blood in the stool. I did not know what it was, and was too afraid to go and find out what it was. I was too ashamed to talk to anybody about it. But after I had my surgery, I felt like I should just tell everybody, so that they could see about themselves. And if I could only save one life, then I would be happy. I'm sure, from that point, that I have saved some lives. Because there have been a lot of people I know who have been through the same thing.

ANDREW:
So, Janet, as a long-term colon cancer survivor, you have taken this as a mission to help save some lives from this disease.

JANET:
That is correct.

ANDREW:
I might just share, personally, that my mother died at age 77 of colon cancer. It was treated late, and had already spread to her liver. And I know, in her case, that she was embarrassed about it. She also needed to lose some weight, and she didn't want to go to the doctor and have him say, "You've got to lose some weight." When, of course, he would have zeroed in on the rectal bleeding she was having, and gotten to the bottom of it. So certainly, delaying treatment can make a big difference, and often a negative difference, with colon cancer. As far as talking to other people then, it sounds like what you're also saying is, "Hey, if you get treated, you can go on and live a long life with this disease."

JANET:
Yes. I have not looked back with the cancer. After that happened, I left the hospital. Of course, I had to go back and get that colostomy reversed. But after that I have not looked back. I haven't had any problem. I've been checked, of course. The doctors that took care of me have all have passed away now, but I'm still in contact with the colorectal center here in Columbus.

ANDREW:
Well, it sounds like you're a very strong woman who's got a lot to say in helping people. I applaud you for that.

JANET:
Thank you.

ANDREW:
Let's have another member of our discussion join us. Nancy is in North Scituate, Massachusetts. Nancy was much more recently diagnosed with colon cancer, in 1996. I understand you are 69 now, so there you were at 66. You had surgery, chemo, radiation...and did you have a colostomy as well?

NANCY:
Yes, I did.

ANDREW:
And six months later, it was reversed?

NANCY:
It was reversed. Correct.

ANDREW:
So there you were. Married. Three grown children.

NANCY:
Right.

ANDREW:
Tell us about dealing with this experience. It's been three years now. Have you gotten past it?

NANCY:
Yes. I'm fine. I think that you're in never-never land when you first learn that you've got cancer. I was not a person who went to the doctor much, and all of a sudden this came out of the blue. And you just don't know what to do. That's why I think things like this may be a big help to people, because hopefully it will give them some clue. Back then I didn't know...I didn't have a doctor, really. I went to a doctor and they did a barium enema and found the cancer then. I had a lot of tests, and I decided I'd go to the best surgeon in Boston. I researched and found who I considered the best surgeon. I had the surgery, and then they wanted to do primarily radiation, with just a little chemo at the beginning and end of the radiation.

ANDREW:
How did you do the research to find the right doctor?

NANCY:
I asked everybody that I knew, who had had cancer of any sort, or surgery, recently. I asked nurse or doctor friends, and I got a list of doctors that had been recommended by somebody that I trusted. Then I went to a gastrointestinal man to have the colonoscopy before the surgery. I asked him who on that list he would recommend, and he picked the one that I ultimately used. And I loved him. He was an older man, and he was really good, thorough, kind, professional. And he has since retired.

ANDREW:
Let me ask you...here you are, three years from the original diagnosis of colon cancer, and along the way you had the colostomy reversed. So, that really is an option for people. The colostomy is not necessarily something that they'll have to live with for the rest of their life.

NANCY:
Well, it depends. Now, somebody who's had an ileostomy, that's a different thing. I had everything go wrong after the surgery. I had a long hospital stay, and amongst it all was an infection. One of the things they do with infections is to do the colostomy. So that you don't use the colon and it can recover. And when that's the case, then it can be reversed.

ANDREW:
And, of course, there are many people who have colon cancer who don't need a colostomy or ileostomy.

NANCY:
They didn't think that I would need one when I went in. It was after the original surgery.

ANDREW:
What happened?

NANCY:
I had to go back, and I got the infection in the hospital. I was about to come home, and all of a sudden I started to spike a fever. They found infection and, from then on, the rest of the hospital stay was all kinds of troubles. But it all came out okay.

ANDREW:
That's what I was going to ask. It's three years later now. How are you doing?

NANCY:
Fine, absolutely fine. A year or two ago, I did start to have some throwing-up bouts, some nausea bouts. I went through all the tests that could be done. And then I went back to the surgeon. I was told to go back to the surgeon by a gastrointestinal man. He decided that it was probably adhesions, and that I was getting a partial blockage. He thought it would unblock and I'd be okay again. So, he told me to stop eating nuts, corn, seeds of any sort. The last time I threw up was January 29, so it's working.

ANDREW:
I see. So as far as adhesions...is that something you think that people should be on the lookout for? Or was that related to your case?

NANCY:
Oh, you'll know! You can't ignore it. You'll know if this happens to you, because I had to stop everything when I got these nausea bouts. They'd come about every 20 minutes for 24 hours.

ANDREW:
And tell us exactly what adhesions mean for people.

NANCY:
Well, I think it's scar tissue where your surgery was. They really don't know. It could have been the radiation that caused it. But it's a roughness on your colon so that the stuff just doesn't get through. Particularly if it's nuts or seeds, it catches in there. And you get a partial blockage. What I got was cramps, and the throwing-up attacks.

ANDREW:
Have you changed your diet since all this happened to you?

NANCY:
It's amazing to me. I already had high cholesterol, so my diet was always a lot of fiber and low fat. And I did a lot of walking and that sort of thing, which is supposed to prevent colon cancer. But it sure didn't help me any. So, I really haven't changed my diet, because I've got still watch the cholesterol.

ANDREW:
Nancy, what do you say to women who may be in your age group, and later sixties, who have dealt with this in the past?

NANCY:
Well, I think you always have it in the back of your mind. I don't get up in the morning and think, "Oh my gosh, I had cancer three years ago." I think that I was very, very lucky. I had no lymph node involvement and no liver mets, which is where it starts to spread first. I didn't have any involvement in those and, because the surgeon was so good, I trusted him. He said he got it all. But they decided that they wanted to do the radiation, in case there were little bits left when they did the surgery. So that's why I did the radiation. And I just figure I've done everything that I could possibly do. It was kind of my choice to have the radiation or not. At the time I thought, "If I don't, and anything happens, I'm going to look back and say, 'Why didn't I?"

ANDREW:
And now, looking back on it, are you glad you did?

NANCY:
I'm glad I did. I don't know if it was necessary or not. I don't really know whether that is why I've had the throwing-up situation. But I'm still glad I did it, because I'm fine. And between the good surgeon, and the radiation and the chemo, I'm sure that's why I'm fine.

ANDREW:
Thanks for those comments, Nancy.

ANDREW:
Let's bring Nina into our discussion. Nina is in Cincinatti, Ohio. Nina, I know that you're 68 and had surgery, and an ileostomy, as we were discussing just a minute ago. All that was 23 years ago, for colon cancer, and you still have the ileostomy, right?

NINA:
I surely do, thank heavens.

ANDREW:
And you're married with grown children?

NINA:
Yes, I've been married 48 years, and I have two boys, one 40 and one 45. I have eight grandchildren, and I also have two that are in the University of Tennessee.

ANDREW:
I understand that you thought your positive attitude made a difference as you went through the treatment, and then carried on from there. Tell us about the difference you think attitude makes.

NINA:
Well, for one thing, we all have to feel sorry for ourselves. We all have to have a big cry. But you have to remember that if you have your head on straight, you've got a positive attitude. It's going to be so much easier on everyone around you if you have a positive attitude. And if anytime you see someone you have a positive attitude...because you do not know if maybe next week, they may be diagnosed with colon cancer. So I want to be a part of the positive thinking, and let everyone know that, "Hey, this isn't the end of your life."

ANDREW:
Even with an ileostomy.

NINA:
That's right, it's just the beginning. And it's like a poem that I usually talk about during the talks I do. I am on the speakers' bureau with the American Cancer Society. The poem says, " We have what we have, we are what we are, and we've got what we've got, and we're stuck with it." It goes on from there. And that's right. If you sit and feel sorry for yourself, you're hurting yourself, and you're hurting all your loved ones and everyone around you. Because when you feel bad, then everyone else around you, your family, feels really bad.

ANDREW:
Nina, I have a sense that somehow, through this, you've had a sense of humor that's been positive too. So, I want you to tell me a couple of stories. First of all, back in Cincinnati, I know you worked at Cincinnati Bell. Was there something amusing that happened there, when your coworkers found out what was going on with you?

NINA:
Yes, well, first of all, I had ulcerative colitis for thirteen years. So all of the people around me were aware of the fact that I was very, very ill. I was getting blood transfusions once a week, lost forty pounds in ten days, and so forth. But they were all very kind and understanding. And I had the type of job that was in the field. I happened to be an instructor, so I would come in contact with many people. They all said, "Well, gee, if you have this surgery, you won't be able to do any more training." And I said, "Oh, sure I will. You know I'm going to come back and, if they'll give me a chance, I will."

So, I was off 69 working days because I had other extensive work done. I came back in, and my desk had this huge cardboard over it. They had it taped up high. It was made like a toilet, and they had it over my whole desk. They said, "Well, we just didn't want you to have to rush at any time. We wanted this at your fingertips." And then of course I walked in, and everybody clapped, and it was really neat. And then you know...

ANDREW:
It was really their love and support for you.

NINA:
That's right. And, you know, I didn't need to worry anymore. Another thing my doctor always told me is, "Remember, if you tell a lie to one person, you have to remember which lie you told to which person, which puts more pressure on you." If you're out in the open, it makes it easier on yourself and everyone, because you don't have that inward stress.

ANDREW:
What's the story about walking your dog?

NINA:
I'm an animal lover, and I always thought, "When I get this ostomy, I'm not going to be able to walk my dog anymore. Because I understand that dogs always smell everything, and I think I'm probably going to have an odor." So, I got myself together and went for a walk with my dog for the first time. She was a 100-pound German Shepherd. And here come the dogs that always run out from the houses, and between houses, and greet us and everything. I was so worried that they were going to come up to me right away, and smell me, and by the time I got my dog home, I'd have a line of maybe six, seven dogs behind me because of this ostomy. So let me tell you, I just know, that if I walk in a home and there are animals there...and the dog comes up to me, and I pet the dog, and it walks away, that, "Hey, I do not have an odor." And that is one of the biggest things that a person with an ileostomy actually worries about.

ANDREW:
And it's worked out. The dogs usually do walk away.

NINA:
Oh, absolutely. Well, I can't speak for other ostomies. We have the United Ostomy Association and we have meetings once a month. We have round tables, and we discuss the problems that individuals would have. Then we also have interstomal therapists at our meetings who are ETs, and they discuss the problems that may come up for an individual. You're around close with everyone that's like you, because you're different when you have an ostomy. When you get into a group, you can relax, and you can talk, and you can make fun, and everyone knows exactly what you're talking about.

ANDREW:
Let me ask you about that. There may be a woman in your age group who's listening, who's kept this a secret, or at least not told people, or kept it very private over the years. It sounds like, extrapolating from you're saying, that these groups are very liberating for you, and something you'd recommend.

NINA:
Oh, absolutely. If you have a problem, you could go and say, "Oh gosh, I ate mushrooms. Does anybody else have trouble eating mushrooms?" And they'll say, "Oh, yes." Or, "No, I don't." So you would know it could be an individual thing. And, of course, the United Ostomy Association has an 800 number, if I would be able to give it out.

ANDREW:
Sure, go ahead.

NINA:
It's 1-800-826-0826. You can call there, and they can give you your nearest United Ostomy Association group. They'll tell you which city, and the days they meet, and who to call locally.

ANDREW:
Let me introduce the final member of our discussion group. Barbara is in Alamo, California. Where is Alamo, California, Barbara?

BARBARA:
It's about 40 miles east of San Francisco.

ANDREW:
I see. And you are 69. And 1981, very similar to Janet from Columbus, was not such a hot year for you. Because you had surgery, colostomy, and radiation for your colon cancer. And you still have that colostomy. Correct?

BARBARA:
Correct.

ANDREW:
You're married and have three grown children. I understand that as time has passed you've put your life back together. You've learned to accommodate and maybe lose your fear that an immediate death was going to come with this diagnosis of cancer. Tell us about working through that process. As the years go by, does the worry go away a little? Or at least go to the back of your mind?

BARBARA:
I don't know that I worried so much about my death as I worried about my family. They hurt when they found out I had cancer. I think they worried more about my death than I did.

ANDREW:
And what about now, today? Has that subsided some?

BARBARA:
I don't worry about it at all. I think it took about two years to really understand that it was not a problem.

ANDREW:
I imagine that Alamo, California is not a big place. Would you second what Nina was saying...and I think I heard Janet or Nancy agreeing...that talking about this is a good thing? If there is a support group, or others who you can relate to, is that a good thing?

BARBARA:
Yes, I do agree. I'm actually a visiting chairperson for the United Ostomy Assocation in our area. I send out people. They call me, whether it's family or medical personnel, and they tell me if they have someone with an ostomy. And I send out somebody, or have them give them a call.

ANDREW:
So, you visit people, and maybe some of them are women who are in your age group. What do you tell them? What's the first thing that comes to mind? What would you like to tell our listeners? What would you want them to know, that might be helpful to them?

BARBARA:
Just give it some time. Think about your family very, very much. Because they'll give you anything when you're going through cancer. But your family gets nothing, as far as...perhaps they can go for some counseling or whatever. I think that's the biggest hurt I saw, was for my family.

ANDREW:
But they came through it okay?

BARBARA:
Yes, they did.

ANDREW:
Maybe you worried about them more than...I mean, maybe they were pretty resilient.

BARBARA:
They could have been. They certainly are. They have been extremely supportive and I appreciate it. Even to this day, because of the colostomy, it was brought up about odor. They watch what I eat, because they have to be around me. So we kind of work it out together. They tell me if I can eat something or not. For their own benefit, I think, more than for mine.

ANDREW:
Barbara, in doing things that people, as they get older, look forward to doing, like traveling, has your colostomy been a limitation? How has that worked out?

BARBARA:
No, it hasn't actually. Because of the cancer, I think I began to feel that I needed to do whatever I could, with whatever time I had left. And, since then, I've traveled all over the world with this little baby on my side. It's not a problem, although sometimes in foreign countries I have to be very, very careful because of their preparation. And sometimes communication is a little more difficult. I always have to carry supplies with me that I can't let go of at all, day or night, or else I would be in deep trouble.

ANDREW:
Someone mentioned that the United Ostomy Association and the American Cancer Society are their international resources. When someone in their sixties or seventies looks forward to traveling, but maybe has a concern...let's say if they need these supplies...is there a way of finding out ahead of time about resources in a foreign country?

BARBARA:
Yes, there are. Most of the people who make these supplies, the suppliers themselves, have a list of where their supplies can be bought in other countries. The only thing is, it depends on the country whether or not you can get supplies easily. Some countries are very, very strict on what they allow to be sold.

ANDREW:
Let me ask some questions for the group. And that is, for those of you who have a spouse with you now, what's your view of the future together, with colon cancer in your past?

NINA:
This is Nina. I want to say that way back when, after my ostomy surgery, my husband went with me to visit a couple. In fact, two times he's gone with me, to explain to the man that there is love and caring and sex after the ostomy. So he has become a part of me as well, and we are just like one. I mean, there's no problem at all. And these things need to be talked about, because so many men think if their wife is going to have an ostomy, ileostomy, or colostomy, that their sex life is gone. And it certainly is not.

ANDREW:
We've heard that a lot about breast cancer. Where women wonder, if they've had a mastectomy, if their self-image is damaged. And whether they'll be attractive to their partner. And I can see that maybe that would be a concern if you've had colon cancer, and certainly if you've had a colostomy or ileostomy. Nina, what do you say to women who worry about that? It sounds like it's worked out fine for you and your husband.

NINA:
Yes, it has. Well, there are pouch covers, if there's a problem. The pouches are modern and they're colored, flesh-colored, so that you can't see through them. If you have a problem you can always tape the pouch to you, and certainly you need to empty the pouch before you do your sex act. As far as my husband and I, we're in love. I think love conquers all, and that's the way we feel about it.

ANDREW:
And let's talk about kids. I think all of you have grown children. Do the kids still worry about Mom as a cancer survivor? Do you have discussions about that?

JANET:
This is Janet in Columbus. I don't know if it frightened him, my husband of thirty years, or what it did to him...maybe he used it as an excuse, but he took off. And left me after thirty years.

ANDREW:
Do you think that an illness as serious as cancer really tests a marriage, and shows whether it's strong?

JANET:
I think it did in my case. Or he was looking for an excuse. But I thought we were happy for thirty years and, after I got back to work, he took off with another woman.

ANDREW:
Is there anything, related to being a colon cancer survivor, that any of you consciously do to try to keep your marriage strong? You may be blessed with a great guy or not, depending upon what the circumstances were. But is there something you'd say to other women, as they go through this colon cancer survival process, about working with their spouse to keep their marriage strong?

NINA:
This is Nina, Andrew, and I believe that it's very important to keep yourself up. I think odor could be a problem, and I think cleanliness is very important. I always try to do that. I just feel that, whether you've got an ostomy or not, that a husband should always see his wife looking good. Taking care of herself, and caring for herself, along with certainly caring for him as well.

ANDREW:
It sounds like your upbeat attitude plays a role, too, Nina.

NINA:
Oh, yes. I have grandkids that come here and they all know I have one, but they'll say, "Come on, Meema." They're from Knoxville, Tennessee. "Come, Meema, let's shoot hoops." And, of course, I go out and play basketball with them. I have a great time.

ANDREW:
Anyone else with any advice about that, about keeping relationships strong as you've gone down this cancer road?

BARBARA:
This is Barbara. I just feel that you have to remember that the husband is hurting too. And, if he's in love with you, you have to give him time to adjust to it. And I think my husband accepted whatever I had.

ANDREW:
Good points. I want you all to have an opportunity to leave some final thoughts with women in your age group who may be listening. They might be thinking about the future, thinking about cancer that's been in their recent or long-term past, and wondering about how to go on. What are some final thoughts that you would want to leave them with? Janet, let's start with you in Columbus, Ohio.

JANET:
Well, this is the final thought that I would like to leave, and this is me, personally. I have a great belief in God, and I put all of my trust and all of my faith in Him. He was the one that brought me through. I recently retired from the Court of Domestic Relations, and the people down there, they can't believe the things that I have been through, and the way I carried myself. And so, my thing is, for anyone that's facing any adversities, is to keep the faith. Keep your spirits up, and understand that God is in charge and you're not. He is the one that makes the final decision on anything that we have to do.

ANDREW:
Yet, you've been given a new day when you wake up in the morning, and you can make the best of it. That's your choice.

JANET:
That is correct.

ANDREW:
Nancy, how about you in Massachusetts? Some thoughts you'd like to leave with other women who've dealt with colon cancer.

NANCY:
Well, I would like to get on a soapbox to tell everybody to get a colonoscopy and not a sigmoidoscopy, because that's just half the job, or a third of the job. It is like having a one breast mammogram. And I think you should make sure that your family does that. I think you should also talk that up amongst your friends, because an awful lot of doctors just want to go for the sigmoidoscopy.

ANDREW:
Women know to do breast self exams now, and many people are talking about that. This preventative test for colon cancer sounds like one that could really make a difference.

NANCY:
It really could. So that's what I'd like to leave everybody with, "Get the colonoscopy."

ANDREW:
And your family members, since you've had colon cancer, how often do they do that?

NANCY:
They do do it. I've got a 46-year-old and a 43-year-old that have had the colonoscopy. And then I've got a 35-year-old that hasn't yet, because the doctor said she could wait for a little bit longer.

ANDREW:
It's usually about every five years?

NANCY:
Yes, it is. Because it takes that long for these polyps to grow, and to grow into cancer. So you've got time, but you' ve got to do it.

ANDREW:
Good point. Nina in Cincinnati, your final thoughts.

NINA:
I would just like to say that remember, everyone, just because you've had a touch of cancer, doesn't mean you forget it. You need to keep going with the early detection. No matter what it is, what type of cancer, get your checkups. Because, if you get it early, you have a great chance. Here in Cincinnati, I'm the chairman of the new Colorectal Committee. We're getting doctors together, and we're making the plan to educate our people here in the Cincinnati area, on colon cancer. It's an American Cancer Society event that's happening throughout the United States, so everyone, please, early detection. Keep that in mind.

ANDREW:
So, it sounds like each of us, and colon cancer survivors in particular, can get involved in keeping up with their own healthcare, and also make a difference for others in their community.

NINA:
Absolutely.

ANDREW:
Barbara in Alamo, California, final thoughts from you?

BARBARA:
I agree with everybody that checkups are necessary, for their children as well. I will say to those who need a colonoscopy, "Don't be afraid of it. It's a very, very livable thing."

ANDREW:
You've really proven with your own life that you can go on and lead a full life.

BARBARA:
Well, I certainly feel like I am. I don' have time for feeling sorry for myself or anything like that. But I do enjoy life, very much.

ANDREW:
Women in their late sixties sometimes find that this can be one of the most active times in their life. It sounds like colon cancer has not slowed you down.

BARBARA:
No, I don't believe it has.

NINA:
Could I just share this poem with you?

ANDREW:
And who's that?

NINA:
Nina from Cincinnati.

ANDREW:
Go ahead, Nina. You have a poem? Let's hear it.

NINA:
It says: "We have what we have and we are what we are, and we've got what we've got and we're stuck with it. Nothing can change what life has in store for us, so we must make the best of it and go on from there. It isn't the end of the world, only another beginning to live the fullest, to the best of our ability, not everyone has this second chance, we are the lucky ones. For we were chosen to try another way of living. Many less fortunate people are not given this second chance."

ANDREW:
Quite a poem, Nina. Thank you for sharing that with us. And Barbara and Nancy and Janet, across the country, thank you for sharing your experience with us, your views, your very personal stories. It really makes a difference, I know, for our listeners. For the American Cancer Society's Cancer Survivors' Network, and from our HealthTalk Interactive Studio in Seattle, I'm Andrew Schorr.