This week, Shelley Irwin at WGVU radio gave me an amazing opportunity to do an interview to help raise awareness for colorectal cancer (CRC).  In ten minutes, I literally put every ounce of energy, information, passion, and honesty that I had on the table.  When it was over, I hung up the phone and sobbed.  The preparation and the interview itself took so much out of me.  I wanted to do a good job in memory of my friend Chelsea and for my fellow CRC patients and survivors.  I was being given a chance, and I wanted that chance to count.  And when it was over, I honestly cannot say that I have ever been prouder of myself for anything in my entire 40-year life than of those 10 minutes.  Before I started to speak, I took a deep breath and asked Chelsea to be with me.  I know she was.

Two years post-diagnosis, I am finding my way through cancer survival, and as I have noted in other blog posts, the emotional part is pretty difficult.  I had naively thought that when the physical torture was over, I would just put this all in the rearview mirror.  But it’s been really hard to put the experience away and live life as did before. March is colorectal cancer awareness month, so with all the messaging around the disease, a lot comes back.  And in preparing for my radio interview, I relived things in my mind that were really hard. I am becoming more and more aware that my experience with cancer will probably never been completely in the rear view.  At least not if I am using the gift of my life to be a voice and support system for others…

And I want to use that gift, so I am going to keep working through the emotional part and seek some extra help in that process.  I have been trying to do it on my own, and it’s taking a toll on a lot of things in my life.  I am going to keep writing, advocating, putting one foot in front of the other, and accepting my best rather than picking myself apart and focusing on all the things I wish I had done better or differently.  It’s a process, but I am thankful to you all for your ongoing support.

When I was preparing for my interview this week, I had asked some of my fellow CRC patient friends what they wished somebody would have told them before their journey began.  Especially those with early onset, said that they wished they had known the prevalence of CRC in young adults and some of the signs to watch out for.  So, in case you didn’t catch the interview, I wanted to use this blog post today to share some of that information.

The Stats

• Colorectal cancer is the 2^nd leading cause of cancer death in the United States (Colorectal Cancer Alliance). 
• And TODAY the fastest growing segment of CRC cases are between the ages of 20 and 29!!
• People who were born after 1990 have a two-fold increased chance of getting colon cancer and a four-fold increase of getting rectal cancer than those born in 1950!
• Unfortunately, because doctors aren’t typically looking for CRC in younger patients, symptoms are often misdiagnosed so young patients are typically diagnosed at later stages with poorer prognosis.

The Importance of Screening

• The sharp rise in young onset is a large reason behind the decision to lower the standard screening age from 50 to 45 and if you have a family history, it may be even earlier than that.
• But right now, during COVID, screening has dropped dramatically! According to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance only 1 in 3 Americans are up to date on their screening for colorectal cancer.
• Colonoscopies can seem scary/embarrassing, but compared the experience of cancer, it is really not that bad.  Due to cancer, I have had 3 minor surgical procedures, 2 major surgeries, 8 rounds of chemo, 30 rounds of radiation, and endless blood tests, CT Scans, and MRI’s.
• There are also other less invasive screening methods your physician may use such as fecal tests and blood tests which can indicate if there is inflammation in the body.

Signs Not to Ignore

• Pay attention to your body and your stools!  If something does not seem right, speak up.
• Blood in your stool
• Unexplained weight loss
• Change in bathroom habits- constipation, diarrhea, narrow stools
• Persistent cramps or lower back pain
• Fatigue
• Feeling bloated
• Anemia

Remember

• Stage at diagnosis matters!! The 5-year survival rates for Stage 1&2 are 90.2% vs. stage 4 drops to 14.3%.  Catching it early is KEY!
• And the good news is that over ½ of all cases and deaths are preventable and based on risk factors YOU can modify such as smoking, unhealthy diet, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and excess body weight so leading a healthy lifestyle is critical, especially if you have a family history of CRC.

• Large online disease communities like COLONTOWN can help you to connect with people who understand your journey and can provide CLINICAL/SCIENTIFIC and emotional support (for you and your family). Thanks to the educational resources and support I found in COLONTOWN, I learned about a drug therapy and circulating cancer DNA test  I would NEVER have known about if I wasn’t a member of COLONTOWN.  I took this information to advocate for myself with my medical staff, and they were VERY receptive.  (www.colontown.org)
• Local support groups – Through hospital systems in your area, Gilda’s Club, etc.
• The chemo chair right across from you – It’s how I found a young mom just like me who was going through the same struggle (Chelsea Boet)

If you are a Colorectal Cancer Patient Where Can You Find Support?

In the radio interview this week, I think I used the word poop about 12 times and admitted to the listeners of West Michigan public radio that I took a picture of my poop and sent it to my doctor (insert hand slapping forehead emoji). But honestly, I am not embarrassed.  That picture saved my life… And if I can impart anything on you it’s that you should never be embarrassed to be an advocate for your own health either!

XO- Mary

PS – If you want to take a listen to the interview, you can find it here:  https://www.wgvunews.org/post/mary-hannon