Doctors advocate for prevention, early cancer screenings

OCALA, Fla. (WCJB) - People around north central Florida will mark World Cancer Day on Friday.

10 million people died of cancer in 2020, according to the ‘Union for International Cancer Control’ which organizes World Cancer Day.

By raising awareness for prevention and early cancer screenings, officials with Ocala Health hope to save thousands of lives.

Surgeon George Rossidis said World Cancer Day is about recognizing those who have been diagnosed with cancer and celebrate those who have beat it.

Through early screening, in some cases, doctors can find abnormalities before they become cancerous, saving thousands of lives.

And he said, our life choices can also have a big impact.

“Exercise plays a big role, avoiding smoking, avoiding alcohol abuse, the quality of food that we eat on a daily basis. Try to avoid processed carbohydrates. Try to have fresh vegetables. Those are things that can make a big difference,” Rossidis said.

Cindy O’Connor is the Director of Case Management for the Heart of Florida Health Center.

“I had breast cancer and had wonderful treatment and had a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy,” she said.

Now she helps others get through similar situations.

“Knowing that I have gone through that breast cancer and the treatment, sometimes that peer to peer is so important. Early detection is number one, and it’s unfortunate with the uninsured and the underinsured, sometimes by the time they come to us they may be at Stage 2, 3 or 4,” O’Connor explained.

Saving thousands of lives with an early screening appointment at your primary care office.

“There are numerous studies that show that if we implement screening approaches based on the guidelines as a national level we know that we could save thousands of lives,” Rossidis said.

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