DEAR EDITOR:

My name is George. I was married to my beautiful and perfect wife, Joan, for 51 1/2 years. Joan was a 17-year cancer survivor.

In the spring of 2013, Joan was feeling tired. We had our checkups the first week of June 2013. We were told she had A-fib. She was getting more tired almost daily. They sent us to the hospital. They did MRIs, X-rays and other tests.

The doctors came to talk to us and explain the tests. They showed us pictures of some of her organs that had a lot of white on them. That was cancer.

Joan passed on Aug. 30, 2013.

I would like to see a very aggressive campaign to inform cancer survivors of what tests and how often they should be done in the years after their bout with cancer. This disease should not be treated as one and done. Early detection saves lives and has proved right, but please, let’s not stop there. Cancer survivors should not die of cancer.

GEORGE STRAIN

Girard