I recently had my annual mammogram and I must ask, “Is it time for you to have a check-up?” Whenever I go for my annual mammogram I text my friends to make sure they are staying on track with their annual physicals and health check-ups. Usually my friends fall into two categories, those who are up-to-date and on schedule with all of their various tests, and those who “have been meaning to get to it” since the last time I asked them the question.
I send the text not to be intrusive, but as a reminder for my busy friends who I want to see healthy and active for many more decades to come. Some folks have hereditary diseases and cancers, which either makes some people incredibly proactive about their health, or for others, they become ostriches who are so afraid of potential bad news that they don’t see doctors at all. I say this not as a judgement call, but as a reminder that ignoring a doctor does not make potentially concerning news vanish. Far too many people, Black people specifically, use doctors to cure as opposed to prevent. Indeed, Black people have had fraught experiences with the medical field and distrust can be warranted. However, it is incredibly important for us to get ahead of potentially troublesome news…even within an imperfect system.
For me, my paternal grandmother died from breast cancer. I am at relatively low risk, but I do have dense tissue throughout my body. The first time I had a mammogram that needed a follow up sonogram, I was scared, anxious, and so tempted to just pretend I didn’t hear the directives. However, I shared my follow-up schedule with friends and found out that, a) many also had dense tissue and a follow-up sonogram wasn’t that out of the ordinary, b) some friends had received the same instructions for a sonogram and had been putting it off, and c) some had one mammogram one time and never made it an annual occurrence. Talking about my experience and my emotions helped demystify the process, it also helped others realize they need to make their health more of a priority. If we have the ability to see a doctor for routine maintenance, just like a car you want to keep running smoothly, you need to make annual visits for your physical, mammogram, dental, eye appointments, you name it. And if you’re above a certain age you should have that 10-year colonoscopy check-up under your belt as well.
Life is stressful and our bodies are carrying a lot right now. Be sure to give yourself the gift of a check-up, your friends and family will thank you.
Christina Greer, Ph.D., is an associate professor at Fordham University; author of book “How to Build a Democracy: From Fannie Lou Hamer and Barbara Jordan to Stacey Abrams” and “Black Ethnics: Race, Immigration, and the Pursuit of the American Dream” and is co-host of the podcast FAQ-NYC.
