Living an enjoyable life, without any regrets

Takeshi Tsuruno is a multi-talented actor, singer, and entertainer in Japan. He's also a father of five children and he spoke with us about his health and endoscopy.

My impression of endoscopy changed completely after I had my first one

Takeshi had his first stomach endoscopy when he was in his late 30s. "At the time, I was about to turn 40, and already had four children who were growing up quickly. I began thinking about the next phase of my life, and decided it was time to get an endoscopy.”
He wasn't suffering from any symptoms, but simply wanted to have a check-up. As he rarely went to the doctors, he said he was nervous and somewhat scared before the endoscopy. However, the doctor prescribed sedatives, and he was actually surprised at how smooth the endoscopy was.

Afterwards, he also underwent a colonoscopy. "I'd been suffering from constipation and had been wanting to get it checked for some time." For the colonoscopy, there was some preparation needed by taking gut lavage fluid to clean out his intestines, but the screening itself was painless and finished quickly.
When asked how it was at the screening, he said "In my case, they used sedatives, so I was half-conscious during the screenings. As the doctor was examining the inside of my stomach and intestines, I was able to see them myself, something I had never experienced. He would point out things like there is inflammation in one area. Fortunately, no issues were found in my stomach nor my intestines."

The screenings prompted him to think more deeply about his own health and also make changes in his lifestyle such as improving his diet and getting more sleep.

Looking back at his father, who died of cancer

Takeshi spoke about the importance of endoscopy and medical checkups from his own experience. He had lost his father to cancer. "My father passed away from lung cancer at the age of 59. He was an earnest man, devoted to his work. He was always healthy and almost never had to go to the doctor. I always thought of him as being so healthy, but one day he was told he had lung cancer and was told his life expectancy."

Shocked by the fact that his father, who always seemed so healthy, had been diagnosed with cancer, Takeshi came to realize that when it comes to your health, you can't let yourself get overconfident. "People think that nobody knows your body like you do, or become scared about what the results of the screening will be. It can happen to anyone. However, if you want to stay healthy, it's important to check on your health by going in for a screening. I want to live a longer, healthier life than my father, and as a father myself, I am approaching his age. I want to continue seeing my children grow."

Communicating the importance of screening to your loved ones

Since he started going in for medical checkups, Takeshi, who is well known for his devotion to his wife, has recommended to her that she should also go for an annual checkup. "My wife's so busy taking care of things in the house and looking after the children every day that she hasn't had much time to go for a screening. There are diseases that specifically affect women, so I kept telling her that she needs to go in for regular screenings. So that she wouldn’t forget, I told her to go on her birthday."

In 2018, Takeshi served as Tokyo's Cancer Screening Ambassador, in an effort to communicate the importance of cancer screenings with a great number of people. "Through a variety of awareness raising activities, I communicated the importance of cancer screenings. Our work as an entertainer puts us in a position to do just this, and I understand that our efforts have encouraged some people to go in for an endoscopy."

Today, one in two people will get cancer. That's why early screening is so important.

Takeshi, who will be turning 50 next year, says that he is becoming more conscious of his health as he ages. "Physical health is important, but so is mental health. My own health also connects to the health of those around me. I always try to keep this in mind."

In addition to talking about his desire to stay healthy, he also spoke about his desire to live a life without regret. Behind it all is the great sorrow he felt about his father's passing.
"We live in an age where approximately one out of every two people in Japan will get cancer*. However, with early treatment, it's no longer an untreatable disease. It's better to find it early, so it is good to take precautions by always going in for screening. So don’t be overconfident about your health, the screening process itself is easy."

* Source: National Cancer Center Japan – Cancer Information Service） (Japanese website)

Enjoying a healthy and exciting future

You can see the sparkle in Takeshi's eyes as he talks about all the other things he wants to do in his life. "Our children are growing up, and they're going to be moving out on their own. We've spent the last twenty years parenting."

Last year, Takeshi and his wife celebrated their wedding anniversary with a trip alone, for the first time. He recounts how much fun he had. "I realized that I have more years ahead of me in life than behind me. My wife and I have a new, exciting stage of our life ahead of us, so it's especially important that I stay healthy."

Takeshi's positive, enthusiastic personality shone through the interview as he spoke about experience with endoscopy and how it has given him a better understanding of himself, changing the way he thinks about health.

* This story is based on interviews conducted in June 2024.

* The conditions, feelings and treatment of each patient may vary from person to person. Please consult your doctor for your diagnosis and treatment.

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