By Rebecca Barnes, Publisher, Prince William Living
If you know me, you know I believe in using information to protect the people we love. I have sat across from too many strong, capable people who heard three words that changed their lives. Cancer does not care how busy you are, how much you have planned, or how much your family depends on you. What we can do is give ourselves the best possible chance through prevention, awareness, and early action.
February is National Cancer Prevention Month, and it exists for a simple but powerful reason. Many cancers are connected to risk factors we can influence. Not all. But many. That means our daily choices matter. What we eat. How we move our bodies. Whether we smoke. How much alcohol we drink. Whether we stay current on screenings. These are not small things. They are the quiet decisions that build long-term health.
Organizations like the American Cancer Society spend every day turning research into practical tools people can actually use. One of the most meaningful tools they offer is the free CancerRisk360 assessment. It looks at your habits, family history, and screening status to help you understand your personal risk profile. Then it gives you clear, realistic steps you can take to reduce risk where possible and catch problems earlier, when outcomes are often better.
Here is the part where I am going to talk to you like I would talk to a friend sitting across my kitchen table. Most of us have had the thought “I should probably check on that.” And then we get pulled back into work, family, deadlines, and everything else life throws at us. This month is a good moment to pause and do the thing you keep meaning to do.
This is not about fear. This is about control. This is about giving yourself information that helps you make decisions with confidence.
If you do one thing for your health this month, make it this. Take a few minutes. Learn where you stand. Give yourself knowledge that could shape the next decade of your life.
Because taking care of yourself is one of the strongest ways you take care of everyone who depends on you.
Rebecca Barnes is the Publisher of Prince William Living and CEO of Imagine, a destination marketing agency focused on strengthening communities through storytelling, economic development, and strategic communications. A longtime advocate for women’s health and early detection, Rebecca is a breast cancer survivor who has spent years encouraging women to prioritize screenings and preventive care. She believes informed communities build stronger, healthier futures.
