Abidal shows us that no one is invincible.

FC Barcelona’s shocking news today that Barça defender Abidal will have to undergo a liver transplant caught us all off guard. Sadly, it was one year ago today that Barça announced that Abidal had a tumor on his liver. Abidal has a difficult journey ahead of him because it’s not his career that we should be concerned about. Rather, it’s his life. Today’s news should serve as a lesson to everybody that no one is invincible when it comes to one’s health.

Today definitely was a sad for us Cules. One of our greatest memories of 2011 was seeing Abidal selected to hoist the Champions League trophy in Wembley stadium. So it was very heartbreaking for us to learn that Abidal has to undergo a liver transplant procedure. Here was the club’s official statement about this matter:

"During the next few weeks, the player will undergo a liver transplant as a result of the progress of his liver disease. A transplant was considered an option from the start of his treatment a year ago. At the express wishes of the player, the Club asks that the maximum respect for the player's privacy be observed.”

When I first heard the news, I was devastated. This was no longer an issue of when will Abidal be back in action to play for us. It was more about whether or not Abidal can survive and be there for his wife and kids. His wife and kids are more important right now than his football career. Now my blog work on here always deal with Barça related topics but today I thought I should aim it at health.

I hope that today’s sad news will serve as a reminder to all of us that no one is invincible. Cancer and other illnesses do not discriminate against gender, race, ethnicity and it doesn't matter if you are poor or rich. Abidal is a professional athlete who was in great shape and followed a good diet and yet he is facing a very serious medical situation. Today should serve as a reminder for all of us to watch over our health, especially men.

It has always bothered me that men have neglected to see a doctor. Be it for routine physicals or when they are in pain. A CNN article back in 2008 mentioned that the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality estimated that American men are 25% less likely than women to visit a doctor. In that same article, Dr. David Dodson, recommended that healthy men under the age of 50 should get a regular checkup every 18 months while those over the age of 50, should see their doctors annually.

More recently, an Esquire article indicated that only 55% of men have a primary-care physician. Another article cited a survey that estimated that men make a 150 million fewer trips to the doctor than women, every year. The article also explained that this is very common in most men across the world since most men believe that a visit to the doctor is a threat to their masculinity along with fear, denial and embarrassment.  It was believed that men are taught from a young age to “hold their heads high and get tough” since admitting to pain or any other problems could be seen as an admission of being weak  which would threaten male pride and machismo.

Regrettably, I am not that surprised by these findings. The purpose of this piece is to convince males, and also females, to make sure and go see a doctor. Be proactive, not reactive, when it comes to your health.  Men, don’t just do it for yourself, but for your families too.  Now I know it’s not cheap to see a doctor today, especially if you don’t have insurance. Many years ago, a friend of mine found out he had testicular cancer early in his twenties and he wasn’t insured. He ultimately had to file for bankruptcy. However, being alive is priceless and he doesn’t regret it.

With that said, don’t let the financial cost deter you from seeking medical help or scheduling an annual physical. Check and see if there are free clinics nearby. We here at the Penya always thought of ways to do something for the community and maybe we can organize an event where we can get doctors – calling all Penya doctors - to meet with people of the community and give them a physical for free. That sure would be great.

I am sorry if you think this is some sap who comes off looking like Jerry McGuire after he ate bad pizza and wrote his mission statement. This is not about me. It’s about everybody. Our health is too valuable to gamble with and we just as saw with Abidal that it doesn’t matter who you are; you never know what might happen. No excuse outweighs the value of being healthy. So please, do the right thing and take the proper measures.

The Miami Penya sends its best wishes to Eric Abidal as he prepares to receive a liver transplant and hope for a speedy recovery. We are all with you and hope that you will get through this. Anims Abidal.