In March of last year my mom was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. For those of you who are lucky enough to be blissfully unaware, that means it has metastasized and that it is incurable. She will never ring the bell, get the last laugh, or be able to talk about cancer like it’s a distant memory. We, as a family, will never talk about it like it is a distant memory. It will forever be a heavy chapter in our lives.
My mom has handled this all with grace and dignity. Her attitude has been overwhelmingly optimistic, and her complaints few and far between. She has made friends with every nurse and doctor she has met, and continues to pour into others as if her cup is still full.
My mom’s diagnosis came just years after a close friend’s diagnosis, and decades after my grandmother’s diagnosis of the same disease. Colon cancer rates are on the rise. “Individuals in the United States diagnosed with advanced-stage colorectal cancer (CRC) increased by 8% from the mid-2000s to 2019”.
I beg anyone reading this to pay attention.
Get your colonoscopies. The discomfort from prep is nothing compared to the discomfort of cancer. I got one a few months ago; it was a great nap.
Pay attention to what you eat. Limit highly processed foods and red meat.
Move your body. Increasing your physical activity levels can help reduce your risk.
Donate. With stage 4 being incurable, we continue to buy more time in hopes new treatment options become available.