Warm sunshine, outdoor sports, potluck supper and spending time with people you love. Yes, it’s time to plan that family reunion. Send out an Evite, plan some old fashioned games, and assemble those goody bags for the kids! It’s time to party! Family reunions bring families together, offer opportunities to connect, and allow family members to make lasting memories.
As enjoyable as it is to see distant cousins, aunts and uncles, it can also be a little awkward to reconnect with relatives. What should you talk about? How do you start up a conversation? According to FamilyReunion.com, story-telling can make family reunions memorable because it helps everyone get to know each other better. Often, there are favorite family stories that are retold and those stories can help bridge the gap between uncomfortable silence and lively conversation.
As you retell the old favorites, make sure that you leave some time to have an honest talk about family health history. Many diseases such as colon cancer can be hereditary, so make a commitment to initiate an open conversation about illnesses and conditions that run in your family. You might be surprised about how willing your family members are to join in the dialogue (Source: USA Today).
Colon cancer affects 1 in 20 Americans, and family history plays a larger role than was previously thought. Most cases of colon cancer are not hereditary, but certain types of colon cancer, like familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) and Lynch syndrome, are genetically linked. It is extremely important to share family history of colon cancer with members of your family because it could influence when your loved ones should schedule their baseline colonoscopy.
Colon cancer is highly treatable when found in the early stages, so encourage your family members to have regular check-ups with their doctor so they can be appropriately screened. Often, colon cancer has no symptoms in the early stages, so staying current with colon screenings is essential for good health. Take a time-out from that game of flag football to discuss family health history over a bowl of strawberry shortcake. It will be the best part of the family reunion—for several reasons!