Thanks to an eagle-eyed viewer, Florida-based news reporter Victoria Price is taking the reigns after her surprise thyroid cancer diagnosis and heading to surgery to remove the cancerous growth.
Just three days ago, Price, a reporter on WFLA, shared on Instagram that she had received an email from a viewer last month who noticed a lump on her neck. The viewer said it reminded them of a similar lump they once had that turned out to be cancerous. Price went to have it examined, and was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.
“I just wanted to say thank you, there’s been so many well wishes that have been pouring in all weekend,” Price said in the video. “[I] woke up up to messages this weekend. I’m a little nervous of course, but a lot less nervous considering that there are so many people who are in this with me right now. So, let’s go rock this and I’ll see all of you on the other side.”
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Catching A Cancer Diagnosis Early: Get Checked
Since her surprise diagnosis, Price has been urging people to #checkyourneck, and that advice can relate to many other cancer diagnoses. When treating cancer effectively, your chance of recovery increases significantly when its caught in the earlier stages. That’s why it’s so important to always get screened and talk to your doctor if you feel that something is wrong.
Cancer symptoms, can sometimes present themselves in subtle ways, and some people may brush them off as no big deal. However, you know your body the best, and Dr. Beth Karlan, a gynecologic oncologist at UCLA Medical Center, says that many women can put off getting examined up to nine months.
Dr. Beth Karlan says “if you feel something, say something”
Additionally, once you do decide to get checked out for a possible cancer diagnosis, it’s important to be your own advocate and push for answers and a thorough examination. If you don’t, the consequences can be serious.
During a yearly breast exam, survivor April Knowles’ gynecologist noticed she had a lump on her breast but dismissed it and said it might be due to her period cycle. Fast forward a year later, and Knowles’ was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer that had spread to her spine and hip. Since, Knowles encourages women to listen to their bodies and speak up when they suspect something isn’t right.
“I think women, especially young women, are really used to being dismissed by their doctors,” Knowles tells SurvivorNet. “[Hearing] ‘you’re too young for this’, or ‘here’s some Prozac, go home and cook dinner for your children.’ I think a lot of patients don’t want to hurt their doctor’s feelings either. We really do want our doctors to like us, but you have to take charge. You have to learn about your disease. You have to ask questions.”
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