But Not Too Young

In the past month or so, I've learned that two of my friends are fighting cancer. One has testicular cancer and the other lymphoma. These aren't older friends who are closer in age to my parents than to me with whom I've bonded due to wacky circumstances. They're people my age, born within a year of me, and that scares me a little bit. More than that, though, it's a huge wake-up call.

Many kinds of bone, ovarian, and testicular cancers are found in a disproportionate number of young adults aged 13 to 24. Fortunately my friends have both been told that they're extremely likely to recover fully - that if you're going to get cancer, theirs is the kind to get. They were both also aware of changes to their body/health, and sought medical attention that allowed them to detect the tumors while they were still fully treatable.

So this is my very own These Gentlemen Public Service Announcement: Pay attention to yourself. Most of this blog's readership falls in the young adult category. But we're not too young, and we're definitely not invincible. And that's something I'm going to keep in mind the next time I consider venturing outside in a bathing suit without putting on sunscreen.

(Sorry if this post is a downer, but I think it's important, and I'm not really in a place where I know how to make it entertaining.)