Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] You're listening to the Buttons Up Impact podcast, where awareness becomes action, and one conversation can change everything.
[00:00:09] Let's make some waves.
[00:00:11] Hey, everyone, and welcome back.
[00:00:13] So it's March. Can you feel it? There's this shift in the air, like the world is finally starting to stretch after a long winter nap.
[00:00:24] Here, the snow is melting, the sun feels a little warmer, and you start seeing these little pops of color. And that's what I want to talk about today.
[00:00:34] Color. Specifically, the colors of awareness for this month. We've got this beautiful, hopeful sky blue, a deep, rich burgundy, and a bright, vibrant orange and gorgeous sunshine yellow. Each one tells a story. Each one represents an important awareness.
[00:00:56] So let's start with that blue.
[00:00:59] March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. And I know, I know this is the one, the one that makes us all squirm a little. It's the topic we avoid at dinner parties, the screening we put off. It's wrapped up in embarrassment and fear and this whole I don't wanna know attitude. But we have to go there, because you can't fight what you don't know. And the truth is, this is a battle we can overwhelmingly win if we just face it head on.
[00:01:29] The key, the whole game changer, is early detection. When colorectal cancer is caught early, the survival rate is about 90%. 9, 0. That is huge. That is life. And the way we get there is through screening the dreaded colonoscopy. Look, I get it. Nobody is excited to schedule one. But I want you to think about it like this. It's. It's like a home inspection for your body. You wouldn't buy a house without looking in the basement, right? You'd want to know if there's a crack in the foundation or a leaky pipe. A colonoscopy is the same thing. It's a look at your foundation. It's not just about finding cancer. It's about preventing it by finding and removing polyps before they ever have the chance to become a problem.
[00:02:20] Prevention is power.
[00:02:23] And listen, the colonoscopy is considered the gold standard, but it's not the only option anymore. Science is amazing. There are less invasive options now, like at home. Stool tests, cologuard, for example. You can do it in the privacy of your own home. It's not as definitive, and if it comes back positive, you'll still need a colonoscopy to know for sure what's going on. But it is a fantastic first step. It's a way to take action without the same level of anxiety. For some people, the. The most important thing is that you do something, that you and your doctor decide on a plan that works for you. The best test is the one that gets done next. That vibrant orange for kidney cancer. Our kidneys are our body's silent, hardworking filters. They're amazing. They clean our blood, regulate our blood pressure, and so much more. And because they're so good at their job, kidney cancer can often grow without any obvious symptoms in the early stages.
[00:03:23] Often, it's found by accident during a scan for something else entirely. But there are things to watch for. Blood in the urine, a persistent pain in your side that doesn't go away, Loss of appetite, unexplained weight loss. We need to break the silence around these symptoms. They're not just little things to ignore. They're whispers from our body, and we need to learn to listen to them. It's so easy to live in that. It won't happen to me, Bubble. We're busy. We feel fine. We're invincible. But cancer doesn't care how busy you are. It doesn't care if you're 45 or 55 or 65. It just looks for an opening. And ignoring the screening guidelines, well, that's like leaving the front door wide open. I was talking with a friend the other day. She was telling me about her husband. He's 48. Great guy. Two kids, coaches, Little League.
[00:04:19] His doctor told him two years ago it was time to schedule his first colonoscopy. And for two years, he's made excuses. He's too busy at work. The prep sounds awful. And the real reason? The one he wouldn't say out loud. He was scared.
[00:04:36] Scared of the procedure, sure, but mostly scared of what they might find.
[00:04:41] So my friend, she sat him down one night. She didn't nag or lecture. She just looked at him and said, I. I need you. The kids need you. This isn't just about you being uncomfortable for a day. This is about you being here for all of our tomorrows. Getting this screening. It's the biggest act of love you could show our family right now. And you know what? It clicked. He finally saw it. Not as a medical burden, but as a promise. He made the appointment the next day because one conversation can save a life. It really can. And I want to be super clear here. I'm not a doctor. His story isn't a prescription. I always say this is the conversation starter, not the diagnosis. Talk to your doctor. Ask the hard questions. Ask about your specific risks, about when you should start screening. You deserve that. You deserve answers. Moving to our next color, there's the burgundy or maroon for multiple myeloma awareness month.
[00:05:44] It's a blood cancer, and a tough one. Accounting for about 10% of all blood cancers, it's a reminder to pay attention to our bodies, to listen to those persistent nagging symptoms. And that bright, beautiful orange is for kidney cancer awareness. It's one of the 10 most common cancers worldwide. But so often, we don't think about our kidneys until something's wrong.
[00:06:10] These colors, these ribbons, they're not just for decoration. They are a call to action.
[00:06:17] Awareness is the first act of love for ourselves and for the people around us. And finally, the yellow ribbon for endometriosis awareness.
[00:06:28] Now, it's really important to note that endometriosis is not cancer, but it's a debilitating condition where tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus grows outside of it.
[00:06:41] The reason it's so crucial to talk about it here is that its symptoms, things like chronic pelvic pain, severe cramping, and bloating can often overlap with symptoms of ovarian cancer. And for far too long, these symptoms have been dismissed as just bad periods or women's troubles.
[00:07:03] This is where your voice becomes your superpower. If you are experiencing these symptoms, you have the right to be heard, to be, to be investigated thoroughly, and to be taken seriously. Don't let anyone tell you it's all in your head.
[00:07:19] Be persistent, advocate for your health. You know your body better than anyone, and this is really what the whole buttons up movement is about, turning awareness into action.
[00:07:33] Sometimes action is having that hard conversation with someone you love.
[00:07:38] Sometimes it's scheduling that screening you've been putting off. And sometimes it's simply helping the message travel a little further.
[00:07:46] If you ever want to be part of that ripple effect, you can visit Buttons up IO. It's a space we created for the community where people can find awareness. Bracelets, hoodies, hats, shirts, and more that help spark conversations and keep these topics visible. But it's also more than that. It's a place where people come together. We organize community activities, adult sports leagues, and events like our three on three basketball, all designed to bring people together around a shared mission. Every bit of support helps keep the conversation going and contributes towards cancer awareness and research.
[00:08:26] So if that speaks to you, feel free to check it out. And if not, the most important thing you can do is exactly what you're doing, right?
[00:08:35] Listening, learning, and sharing the message. If this episode moved you, share it. Send it to someone you love. Because awareness only travels as far as we carry it. And if you're ready to wear your support and make a direct impact on cancer research and Prevention, visit ButtonsUP IO we'll see you next episode.
