The beauty of the State of Idaho is captivated in the summertime. With the sun out extra long, us Idahoans take every opportunity to get outside. This includes exploring the great outdoors. You can expect a lot of hiking. However, let’s paint the picture of precautions we should all make before letting our feet hit the trails. If you are lost… STOP. THINK. OBSERVE. PLAN. Take a moment to think and relax so you don’t become overwhelmed with the situation. Eat a snack, or drink some water that you have packed, and prepare with more sunscreen or a flashlight in hand if it is dark. Look at your map, and try to remember landmarks you have passed. Do your best to mentally retrace your footsteps. Don’t worry about being in a hurry. Look around to make sure you and others in your group are not injured in any way. Take...

About 136,830 people are diagnosed with colon cancer every year. There’s no telling if you will end up getting cancer, but fortunately, there are measures we can take to help prevent colon cancer from happening in our own bodies. Screenings – One of the most important steps to take in colon cancer prevention is getting screenings. During a screening, doctors are looking for cancer or pre-cancer (polyps) in people who often don’t have symptoms of the disease. When polyps are found they are removed, leaving them no chance to develop into cancer. Healthy lifestyle – Being overweight, especially in the belly area, increases the risk of colon cancer. Keep your weight down by doing vigorous exercise and eating a healthy diet. Vigorous exercise reduces polyp formation more than moderate activity. Eating red meats have been linked to colon cancer, keep your consumption of them down while increasing your consumption of fruits, vegetables, and whole...

It was a gloomy day in June of 2013. I had just pulled up to drop my sister off at her apartment when our mom called. Usually, my mom is cheerful and happy but this time we were greeted by a somber, more serious version of our mom. Immediately my thoughts ran wild. Had someone in my family been hurt? Had our home caught on fire? And then she said it, “I have cancer.” I had never expected to hear those words come from one of my own family members. My heart immediately broke as I thought about my sisters and I possibly losing our mom and my dad losing his wife. Life could never be the same without her. After hanging up with my mom both my sister and I sat in my car and just cried. It’s safe to say that was an extremely difficult day of my...