Taylor Swift asked her mother Andrea for a simple Christmas gift. She wanted her mom to have a routine health checkup, if only to “ease some worries” in her daughter's mind. Her mother agreed to be screened for potential health issues even though there were no warning signs.
“There were no red flags and she felt perfectly fine,” Taylor wrote in her announcement on Tumblr. “But she did it just to get me and my brother off her case about it.”
The routine exam found cancer.
Cases like this are not unique. In 2002, TV talk show regular Sharon Osbourne went for her first checkup in three years after her hard-rocking husband Ozzy convinced her to have a doctor's visit. Two days after this exam, Sharon underwent surgery to treat the newly discovered colorectal cancer.
Similarly, singer Sheryl Crow underwent a seemingly routine mammogram to screen for breast cancer. At age 44, she began treatment to combat the disease, ultimately defeating it.
While checkups largely may be routine, there's a chance they can find something meaningful. And while this may seem scary, the alternative of finding a dangerous issue after it's had time to develop is far scarier. An early diagnosis can be a game-changing moment that dramatically improves your future quality of life.
And if your routine preventive checkup finds that you are healthy? Not only is that peace of mind priceless, your doctor could find that you need a booster immunization to protect you from contracting a dangerous disease in the future, or have other important recommendations for your health.
Taylor and Andrea hope others learn from their decision to get a checkup. “Your parents may be too busy juggling everything they've got going on to go to the doctor,” Taylor said. “Maybe you reminding them to go get checked for cancer could possibly lead to an early diagnosis and an easier battle.”
You don't need to be a pop superstar to be a hero. Pledge to get a checkup and protect yourself. Pledge to convince your loved ones to get a checkup. Join the #CheckupChallenge. Be there for those you're #healthyfor. You could be a lifesaver.