The Importance of Advocating for Yourself
- Mark Wright, former star of the British reality television show TOWIE, is now cancer-free after having a tumor removed from his armpit.
- On Dec. 8, Mark Wright took to Instagram to share some shocking news: he had discovered a lump in his armpit.
- His doctor told him it was nothing to worry about, but Wright advocated for his own health and sought a second opinion. That doctor was certain the lump was a lipoma, and because of its size, the doctor was concerned that it could turn into, or already had turned into a sarcoma.
Last week, he shared a video on Instagram of himself taking a walk. "It's the first walk I've been on in a while since having this operation … I got the news the other day that (the cancer) is all clear, it's cancer-free," Wright says in the video.
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Mark Wright's Cancer Battle
On Dec. 8, Mark Wright took to Instagram to share some shocking news: he had discovered a lump in his armpit. "Not very big," he writes, "but enough to cause concern and to be cautious enough to get it checked."
He then saw a doctor who told Wright that the bump was a "fatty lump that doesn't need any treatment," sending Wright on his way.
"After some time the lump grew and began to bother me," he writes. "I am someone that when it comes to life in general, I leave no stone unturned. When it involves health, this idiom quadruples."
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Mark Wright then saw another doctor for a second opinion. After seeing the lump during an ultrasound, the doctor was certain the lump was a lipoma, which is a benign soft tissue tumor. However, it was large 4.7 inches. Because of its size, the doctor was a bit concerned that it could turn into, or already had turned into a sarcoma, which is a malignant soft tissue tumor.
Due to the doctor's uncertainty, Wright had an MRI. The results still did not rule out the possibility of the lump being a sarcoma. He was then referred to a sarcoma specialist, who reviewed his MRI scan and scheduled Wright for surgery.
In his Dec. 8 post, he shared that he was "in theatre having this little git removed." Now, he is sharing the good news that he is free of cancer following the surgery earlier this month.
The Importance of Advocating for Yourself
Mark Wright ended his Dec. 8 Instagram post with some advice: "MORAL OF THE STORY: If you notice anything that doesn't look or feel quite right. Don't leave it."
"Nothing in life is more important than your health and well-being. Get checked, check yourself and make sure you take good care of yourself."
Advocating for Yourself While Navigating the Medical World
Being your own advocate as Mark Wright is for himself is always important when it comes to cancer care. And by doing so, you can make sure that your doctor sees you as an individual.
"One of the biggest things that I did from the very beginning was asking the right questions," Alex Echols, a patient advocate and lymphoma survivor, tells SurvivorNet. "It's our lives on the line."
He credits these questions with making sure that doctors took him seriously and viewed him as a partner in his treatment.
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