Leon Sanchez I was born in 1940, the third of four children of Hispanic parents. My parents were fortunate: They were healthy and independent (they owned their own small farm in western Alabama). The only serious illness in the family was when my father- and then, 20 years later, my older brother- were diagnosed with prostate cancer.
0-19 years We lived a simple, uncomplicated life. We ate well (lots of meat and vegetables) and played and worked hard. My parents believed in education and insisted that we all finish school, whether we wanted to or not. I was not an honor student, but I got consistent B’s. Math was my best subject and history my worst.	20-39 years As an adult, I continued working on my father’s farm and eventually inherited it from him (my brothers and sister had moved away). I loved the outdoor life- It was hard work, but honest, and it gave me a good feeling to work the land I owned. And it produced a good living for my wife and two children. The only disadvantage of the farm was how far we were from the town and a doctor (especially if we needed one fast).
40-59 years After my children moved away (one to college, the other to start his own landscaping business in the suburbs of Birmingham), my wife and I became even more isolated, going into town only once a month or so for supplies. We loved the quiet life on the farm and had a few worries. n	60+ years By the time I was 60 or so, I was beginning to feel my age. Finally, I decided it was time to see a doctor for a check-up. I wanted to make sure that I was okay in health, and I wanted to ask him why I was starting to feel pain when I urinated. The doctor checked me over and pronounced me healthy in all regard except one: Tests revealed that, like my father and older brother before me, I had prostate cance. Because of my generally good health, they were able to operate, and then they treated it with radiation. I don’t keep up much with modern medicine, but whatever they did, it must have worked, because the pain is gone now and I feel better than ever.