In 2003, 29 percent of the American population had only basic prose literacy skills and 14 percent had below-basic skills.

Prose literacy measures the skills needed to understand texts such as new stories, brochures, and instruction manuals. People with basic skills can perform simple, everyday literacy activities. Those with below-basic skills are proficient in only the most simple and concrete literacy.

How is it that these individuals, when they are diagnosed with a disease such as cancer, are able to understand the medical jargon thrown their way, the literature that piles up in front them, the complicated process we call the medical system?

They aren't. And this leads to increased chances that people will be hurt, even killed, in the course of their medical treatment.

There are many barriers that lead to miscommunication -- cultural differences, language problems, and overall poor literacy skills -- and experts in this area are recommending some changes. They urge more education and training for health care professionals who may not ever imagine someone might not understand their words. They suggest health teams use medical interpreters. And they seek to embrace a culture of easy-to-understand communication in all aspects of medical care.

Toni Cordell, a nationally-known health literacy advocate, says humiliation and shame washed over her three decades ago when her gynecologist told her she needed a simple repair and she woke from surgery to learn she'd had a hysterectomy. Struggling at the time with dyslexia and a poor education, Cordell never asked any questions of her doctor. She just accepted the course of action, without knowing anything about it.

"Ignorance is not bliss," she says. "It's not a good place to be."

I am wandering through the BC Cancer Foundation website to post on the upcoming Weekend to End Breast Cancer and I noticed The Underwear Affair annual fundraiser. Is it just me that has taken notice, but do some organizations just know how to make fundraising more fun than other organizations? You can ask people to donate money, but so many charities are asking for donations, and while each is a good cause, there is a certain burn-out factor and charity fatigue that can set in when people are constantly solicited for money. Why not offer an event that is unique and fun to participate in and age-related -- like The Underwear Affair, or a service in exchange for a donation like the college kids do in Odd Jobs Humanitarians?

The Underwear Affair was launched this year, and in the first year they raised over $500,000 for below the waist cancers -- that according to the organizers of this event state -- are the embarrassing to talk about cancers -- prostate, colorectal, ovarian, testicular, bladder, cervical, and uterine cancers. The Underwear Affair hosted a 10K Run/5K Walk, followed by live bands, DJs and a dance, pole dance lessons and the bedtime EXPOsed afterparty. A contest was held for the best underwear costumes at the party, drawings for two new Vespas and a trip for two to Honolulu, Hawaii.

What do you wear to The Underwear Affair 10K Run/5K Walk and EXPOsed afterparty? Well, you can wear whatever makes you comfortable -- which might be exercise clothing. But you are encouraged to have fun, and the event planners suggest anything from trashy lingerie to your favorite well-worn plaid robe. That's the point. The encouragement of fun in raising money for cancer research into cancers below the waist and using frivolity to destigmatize cancers that embarrass some people. Hats off to The Underwear Affair!

I think obesity will always carry with it a risk for health problems. And according to a new study released on Monday, men with prostate cancer who are overweight have a higher risk of tumor recurrence after radiation treatment than thinner men do. Specifically, moderately and severely overweight men had a 70 percent higher risk of recurrence than men who were not overweight -- as indicated by rising levels of PSA, a blood protein that can signal prostate cancer. It is not clear how exactly obesity affects the success of radiation treatment -- perhaps it's the fat tissue that secretes certain hormones that helps the cancer progress at a later time. Regardless, the study suggests that men who are overweight do not fare as well as those who are at an average weight -- and this gives men a definite reason to trim down.

Obesity in this study was characterized by body mass index -- BMI -- a statistic that takes into account height and weight. A man five feet, 10 inches tall would be considered normal weight at or below 184 pounds. He would be overweight at 185 to 209 pounds, mildly obese at 210 to 244 pounds, and moderately to severely obese at above 244 pounds. Moderately to severely obese men had almost twice the risk of developing elevated PSA levels, according to an epidemiologist who led research in the study -- which will be published in the August 1 issue of the scientific journal Cancer.