A few months ago I shared my personal story regarding how cancer has affected my life. You can read more about that here. But to sum it up, I lost my dad (age 49) to cancer when I was only 16 years old. Many years later his passing prompted me to change my lifestyle which led to me discovering clean eating and lifting weights. We received countless emails, comments, and messages sharing similar stories and experiences. Thank you for all for sharing a little bit of your life with us!
In my prior post I also discussed 5 Ways to "Get Ahead of Cancer". One of those ways is proactive testing which Counsyl provides with their Inherited Cancer Screen. After my post they graciously offered me the opportunity to do my very own Inherited Cancer Screen for free. I accepted the opportunity so that I could share my experience with you.
The process of the screening was very simple and convenient as I was able to do everything from the comfort of my own home. First, I set up an account online so that they could contact my health care provider and a few days later I received a kit in the mail. It was packaged in a neat box with very easy-to-follow instructions. Also included was a tube, specimen bag, and a return shipping envelope. All I had to do was take a saliva sample, place it in the specimen bag and then into the shipping envelope and send it off. In less than two weeks I was able to view my results online. A few days later I received a call from a counselor to make sure I didn't have any further questions. I'm happy to report that I didn't because my screen came back negative.
Just because my screen came back negative doesn't mean that I am going to start living carelessly and abandon the lifestyle I've followed for the past seven years. I am going to do everything in my power to avoid cancer using the steps outlined previously:
- Eat healthy
- Stay active
- Limit exposure to toxins/carcinogens
- Protect my skin
- Proactive testing – check!
I want to live a healthy and fulfilling life so that I am able to do all of the activities that I enjoy such as hiking, backpacking, weight lifting, cycling, and mountain biking. My goal is that my story and the ability to use Counsyl screening reaches at least one person and changes their life for the better. If this information influences and saves just one person's life, then we are happy!
We loved working with Counsyl and hope that you will check out what they have to offer. I would first start by viewing this Counsyl Video. You can also explore the links below to learn more.
The Counsyl Inherited Cancer Screen assesses your risks based on your DNA, and if you test positive, you have the power to act early on. By working with your doctor, you can build a proactive health and risk reduction plan including early detection. Detecting cancer early increases survival rates – the 5-year survival rate for localized breast cancer is 98.6% when caught in early stages.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Counsyl. The opinions and text are all mine.
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