Rep. Debbie Dingell: Give friends Galentine’s Day gift of routine cancer screenings

Galentine’s Day is finally here, and if you’re considering a way to show your gal pals how much you care, Congresswoman Debbie Dingell of Michigan may have the perfect idea.

Dingell, a member of the Prevent Cancer Foundation’s Congressional Families Program Executive Council, is calling upon all women to encourage their friends to schedule their routine cancer screenings in a new video as part of the Program’s “Congressional Voices” series.

“To get their appointments scheduled, we need to remind them. And some people might not know that they even need to be getting certain screenings,” Dingell said. “You can be that source of encouragement. Sometimes people need just a little nudge. A friend to go to the doctor with them, or something to look forward to after an appointment, like lunch, coffee.”

Dingell says nothing shows someone how much you care more than advocating for their health.

“February is a month when we celebrate love and we show love,” Dingell said. “Anyone who knows me knows how important my girlfriends are to me. And one of my favorite holidays is Galentine’s Day, which provides a special opportunity to us to let women in our lives know how much they mean to us. It’s also a good time to make sure they’re taking care of themselves.”

Dingell also made a point to say that while you’re offering that “nudge” to your friends, don’t forget about self-love.

“While you’re thinking of others, don’t forget about yourself, either, which too many of us often do,” she said. “Make time to get the screenings you need. If you’re not sure when you’re due for your mammogram, your cervical cancer screening, your colonoscopy, your skin check, or other routine cancer tests, my friends at the Prevent Cancer Foundation have the resources that you need. Routine cancer screenings can detect cancer early and sometimes even before it develops. Meaning many more Galentine’s and Valentine’s Days with those that you love.”

CHECK IT OUT | See which screenings you need by age group