Examine yourself as if your life depended on it (because it does)

Medexpress: You lead the parliamentary team for cancer prevention "Cancer Stop". I'll ask about breast cancer. What are the priorities at the moment, and what can be done to get Polish women to finally get screened?

K.P.: The biggest priority is exactly what you, the editor, mentioned - that Polish women should start getting tested. This is really a drama. We fare much worse in this regard than women in other European countries. And yet we have great doctors, modern technology, access to the same drugs. And the mortality rate is higher. The problem is not treatment, but too late diagnosis. Polish women often find out about the disease only when the cancer is already advanced. I hope that this will change with pro-health education - reliable, conducted by properly trained people, from an early age. The idea is to make young people understand that research is health. The most beautiful gift we can give ourselves is to take care of our health - to be with our families, our loved ones for as long as possible. Today, the priority should be to encourage preventive examinations - both for women and men. I dream that it should be something completely natural. Just like brushing your teeth every day: the appointment comes, so we go for checkups. Regularly, without procrastination. I often say: we do the mandatory inspection of the car, and forget to inspect our own body.

Medexpress: But car inspection is mandatory... Maybe it would be worthwhile to make health inspection mandatory?

K.P.: It probably wouldn't be possible, although there are oncologists who suggest, for example, a tax credit for those who get regular check-ups. Because the truth is that a patient with advanced cancer means much higher treatment costs for the state budget. That's why the role of patient organizations is so important. They really do a lot - they organize actions, substitute mammobuses and cytobuses in smaller towns, often far from large medical centers. Public campaigns, presence of the topic in the media are also of great importance. I think it would also be worthwhile to include influencers, who have a huge reach - if they would start talking to their audience: "Go get tested, it doesn't cost anything, it's free, and life is priceless" - it could really make a difference. Mother's Day is coming up. The best mother is one who is with us for as long as possible. That's why I'm appealing: make your mom a gift - take her for a checkup. It really can save lives. Let's not put it off.