Okay to remind friend to get medical test?

[DaDancingPsych]

I had never had a colonoscopy despite my doctor encouraging it. A good friend showed up at a party and mentioned he was still recovering from surgery and couldn't lift anything. Of course someone said ”what happened?” And he said he had colon cancer discovered from a routine colonoscopy, and it was early enough that the cancer had not spread.
I made my colonoscopy appt the next week.
I also worked with a woman who had breast cancer discovered on a routine mammogram. She is over 5 years cancer free now. After her diagnosis she asked all of her friends if they had scheduled their mammograms yet.
Neither of these individuals had any family history of cancer or outstanding risk factors.
Remind her.  This is something nice to do for people you care about.
Out is not rude to remind people that cancer screening saves lives. It would be rude to nag people after informing them of that fact.

OP already reminded her.  repeatedly asking her isn't reminding, it is hounding.

I agree. I think that the OP has already done a good deed by encouraging it. Now it's up to friend to make the decision.

[RingTailedLemur]

I agree with PPs.

Also, if I were her, I would be squicked out that you were thinking and talking about such a private part of my body.

[SciFiLeslie]

About 3 years ago, my best friend in the whole world died from colon cancer at the young age of 41.  I still think every now and then how I should call her about something silly I saw in the grocery store (like Rachel Ray brand dog food, or something cute my 7 year old did.  But I can't.

If your friend has a history of cancer in her family, I might be inclined to pursue it a bit more, but if she seems uncomfortable by it, you should leave it alone.

[Piratelvr1121]

Only if she asked you to remind her. 

[Tea Drinker]

In this case, no.

I was visiting friends this past weekend, and one of them said something about my prescription pills, and I thanked her for the reminder: but this is a very close friend, with whom I have discussed my health, and I had the pill container out in the open (rather than tucked away in my bag). I wouldn't appreciate random acquaintances asking if I am taking my medicine properly, or whether/how recently I've had some medical test, and my friend knew that. Nonetheless, after taking the medicine I thanked her and reiterated that I appreciated the reminder, rather than feeling nagged.

[amandaelizabeth]

Eight years ago my life was saved by a mammogram.  There is no history of cancer in my extended family and I was not feeling unwell.  As i was too young to qualify for the free programme, I paid to have it done.  I am not sure why I had one, it was just a nagging feeling at the back of my mind.  As I say it saved my life.

I set up a scheme so that  our employees (who are all women) could get one yearly if they wanted too.  It costs less than one cappachino a week.  Every year on the anniversary of my mammogram I send a reminder to everyone I know about getting a check and asking them to remind all the women in their life to get one too.  So far three other women have found symptoms and been treated and to date they are still with us.

Rude - maybe? but I am glad that I am still here to ask them.   

[Moray]

Eight years ago my life was saved by a mammogram.  There is no history of cancer in my extended family and I was not feeling unwell.  As i was too young to qualify for the free programme, I paid to have it done.  I am not sure why I had one, it was just a nagging feeling at the back of my mind.  As I say it saved my life.

I set up a scheme so that  our employees (who are all women) could get one yearly if they wanted too.  It costs less than one cappachino a week.  Every year on the anniversary of my mammogram I send a reminder to everyone I know about getting a check and asking them to remind all the women in their life to get one too.  So far three other women have found symptoms and been treated and to date they are still with us.

Rude - maybe? but I am glad that I am still here to ask them.

So you say it once a year, and happen to have set up a program encouraging them? Awesome. That's not what the OP was suggesting. She was wondering if, having already mentioned it once, she should bug them again. The consensus has been "No."

Making a general PSA once is fine. Continuing to hound isn't.

[onyonryngs]

Maybe post something on your FB page periodically, but generally it's not ok to hound people about medical procedures.

[Dragonflymom]

I tend to start distancing myself from any friend or relative who harps on me about anything medical or diet related.  My body, my business.  I'll give advice to others if asked, otherwise it's their body, their business too.  I figure it's their issue to sort out with their own doctors, just like my issues are mine.

[oceanus]

I'm not going to say anything; decided yesterday (see post #5) that it's not a good idea.