Most of us have probably been affected by cancer in one way or another. Each year cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States behind heart disease. While cancer might not be completely avoidable there are certainly things that we can do help minimize our risk.
February is cancer prevention month, which means Team Run Smart is going to be focusing a lot of time talking about living a healthy lifestyle while you are on the road. Paying close attention to the food that you are putting in your body and getting the right amount of physical activity is important to preventing most illnesses including cancer.
Making sure you stay up to date on your annual wellness exams is something that a lot of people don’t remember to do. Preventative care is extremely important because it can lead to early diagnosis for many different types of illnesses. The next time you are home for a few days make sure you schedule an appointment to visit your doctor.
Late last year I had the chance to talk to Matt Doth who is the retention manager with Dart Transit. Those of you who drive for Dart might know Matt from your orientation class. Matt is a great guy who has an amazing story to share.
In April 2010 Matt was on a fishing trip with his son and after returning home he started feeling a pain in his jaw. It was then that he spotted a lump in his throat. Matt wasted little time before he made an appointment to visit his doctor. After a couple of tests and a biopsy they determined that he had a cancerous tumor on his thyroid. Over the last four plus years Matt has undergone three surgeries because of two separate recurrences of the cancerous cells to his thyroid and lymph nodes. He has now been free and clear of cancer for nearly three years.
Being diagnosed with cancer really opened Matt’s eyes to everything around him. He was always an active person, but now he works even harder to get as much exercise as possible. He and his wife plan out meals ahead of time because it helps them eat as healthy as possible and avoid the temptations of fast food.
Since his cancer diagnosis Matt has made a lot of changes in his life. One of those changes is that he no longer waits to see a doctor if something doesn’t feel right. He knows the best thing for him is to make an appointment and get things checked out sooner rather than later. Early diagnosis can lead to the best-case scenarios.
Team Run Smart is all about helping you drive smart. That means not only being able to run your business as efficiently and successfullyas possible, but also being able to live a healthy lifestyle while you’re on the road. In support of cancer prevention month Team Run Smart will be donating $1.00 to the Cancer Research Institute for each new member that signs up during the month of February. We encourage you to invite your friends and family in the trucking industry to join Team Run Smart.