Jun 25 2008
Surviving Cancer
Sharon Osbourne has been through many experiences in her life, but when she was diagnosed with cancer of the colon in 2002 it was tragic. Sharon’s diagnoses scared the whole family and Ozzy was perhaps the one most affected. Imagine the person you love, who you have spent your whole life with being diagnosed with a potential life threatening illness. Personally I recall the episode when I was rushed into hospital with Pre-eclampsia my husband was terrified as was my mum and dad. They nearly lost not just me, but our beautiful daughter. When you are diagnosed with a life threatening illness it happens so quickly and suddenly that you don’t expect it. Nobody expects their life to be cut short and it is terrifying for those that love you. It would have been a tragedy for this world to lose a celebrity as kind and entertaining as Sharon Osborne. Due to her fighting spirit she survived against all odds. Later she announced that the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and was more serious than they had originally thought. It was one thing after another being given a 33% survival prognosis. Yet this more than anything shows the fighting nature of Sharon’s spirit.
Sharon is a fighter she won’t give up that quickly and she wasn’t going to give in to cancer. Sharon has since set up her own colon cancer program at Cedars Sinai. Sharon was first diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 49 and had no previous family history. She had to have surgery to remove a foot of large intestine and some surrounding lymph nodes. Ozzy took it very badly, he started to drink again and didn’t want to carry on with his concert dates. Unfortunately Ozzy was out on the road at this point and wanted so badly to come home, to be by Sharon’s side. Who could blame him? Nobody wants to be out working when something as serious as cancer is diagnosed.
Sharon spent time coming to terms with her own mortality as she was brutally attacked by chemotherapy and sickness. A brave and courageous move was her decision to let MTV cameras document her illness during the filming for the show The Osbourne’s second season. This also helped people understand more about colon cancer and the battle that it takes to overcome it. Sharon is now fully recovered and supports those in her community who are suffering with colon cancer.
According to the American Gastroenterological Association, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, killing more than 50,000 Americans annually. This year nearly 132,000 new cases will be diagnosed.
Risk factors include:
• Age – after 50 men and women share nearly the same risk
• Personal or family history of colorectal cancer or polyps
• Having ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease
• Smoking cigarettes
• Obesity
One of Sharon Osbourne’s philosophies in life is to live every day to the fullest and do not save for tomorrow what you can do today.
There are a lot of things I respect about Sharon to name just one of those it is the way she is honest and not afraid to talk of her own personal feelings. Unlike other celebrities she doesn’t try to hide under a façade and despite whatever anyone says about her you cannot take away her hard work and dedication.
Sharon has not had it easy, but through everything she has raised a wonderful family, become a successful business woman and won her battle with cancer.
