The Innate Circle by Monique Wooley
She was tough and courageous. She had no restrictions or limitations. She loved to travel, she loved music and she would break out into dance when her favorite song came on. She wanted to see others happy. She loved to laugh, she loved entertaining, and she read lots of books including the Bible. She enjoyed learning new technology and new lingual from the younger generations. She loved kids, especially her grandkids, nieces, and nephews. She helped everyone and adopted many as her family. Her compassion would drive her to give the shirt off her back. If you did something wrong, she was tough enough to teach you a lifelong lesson with no apology. She took no bull or disrespect from anyone but she wore her heart on her sleeve. She prayed for everyone even if she didn’t know them. She was always happy to see you come and cried when you left. She became devoted to her family and spent countless days caring for many. She was far from perfect but loved her friends and family even when they didn’t show her love back and if you confided in her she took it with her to death. She exemplified undisputed strength, a fighter til the end, and she undeniably loved the Lord.
On “July 10, 2019” Mary was diagnosed with Oral Neoplasm. (Throat Cancer) Her family’s entire dynamic changed in an instant.
On April 2, 2020, at age 72 years old, with plenty of life left in her, she succumbed to her condition – just nine months after being diagnosed. NINE SHORT MONTHS.
During those nine months, she spoke of how she wanted her story to be a testimony for others, particularly for the younger generation. So please pay attention to the details.
The Details
According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), approximately 59,660 new cases of oral cancer are diagnosed every year in the United States alone. That number is growing. 12,770 related deaths are predicted to occur this year.
Additionally, it’s estimated that another 20,040 cases of tongue cancers will be diagnosed in 2025.
While we all know cancer is certainly not discriminatory, collectively blacks have the highest death rate and shortest survival of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S. for most cancers. Black men also have the highest cancer incidence rate. Oral cancer most often occurs in people over the age of 40 and affects more than twice as many men as women. Why 40 & up? Although symptoms can start months and even years before being diagnosed, the symptoms are more often misdiagnosed, allowing tumors time to mature and manifest to the point of mid to end-stage diagnosis.
Most oral cancers are related directly to TOBACCO use which constitutes cigarettes, cigars, dip, e-cigarettes, marijuana particularly rolled in cigar casings, ALCOHOL, and the usage of both alcohol and smoking together intensifies the risk of cancer development. Infections by the human papillomavirus (HPV) are also a cause of oral neoplasm.
If diagnosed in time, throat cancer, in many cases can be surgically removed. This surgery, however, may leave you with permanent facial & neck disfigurement, sometimes needing a voice box implanted in the neck to assist with speech.
If not diagnosed in time, you have two options:
The tumor in your throat grows so large that it eventually shuts off your air supply causing suffocation or…
You eventually perish from starvation because you’re no longer able to take in nourishment through your mouth and throat area due to razor-like pain caused by the cancer tumor.
Financial Burden
Head & neck cancer is the only cancer that does NOT get funding as does most other cancers. Assistance has to come from private donations or fundraising. Why? Because despite the warnings, smoking is a choice, not an addiction.
It’s Never Cool to Smoke
“So the physician asked; what’s your choice, suffocation or starvation”?
This article was intentionally published this month to bring awareness to students or young adults who are fighting the peer pressure of smoking. It’s never cool to smoke. I’m encouraging parents, and families to have a tough, but necessary, conversation with their children. Be intentional role models.
If you know someone who may benefit from this article please share.
In loving memory of my mother Mary.
