For those members over 45 years of age, both male and female, get a colonoscopy. Don't wait, do it now - it's that important.

On Father's Day, this year, I lost my 59 year old son to Adenocarcinoma, a deadly form of cancer that is NOT treatable, though some doctors claim it is. He lived just 2 weeks after being diagnosed. When he turned age 50 I told him to have the procedure performed, but he apparently, did not take my advice. The primary lesion was rectal cancer, which if detected early, can be surgically corrected and treated with chemo and radiation therapy.

He told me that thought he had bleeding hemorrhoids and from what he had heard, the surgical repair for hemorrhoids was a painful procedure and took months to heal. Therefore, he decided to just not undergo the surgery until he had to have it done because the bleeding would not stop. That was six months before he died.

My daughter is 55 and overdue for having a colonoscopy. She is having it done next week. She is not symptomatic at this time, but this is a cancer that is curable if detected early enough.

I loved my son very much, he was a very successful, handsome, young man, married to a beautiful Korean lady with three beautiful daughters, all whom are extremely intelligent. Every time I see one of the many photos of him, I find myself crying. No parent should have to bury any of their children.

All the best,

Gary