Governor Bill Lee declared March as Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month (.PDF) in the state of Tennessee, and the observance is a call for individuals to remain vigilant about colorectal cancer screenings and also raises alarm bells about the rising incidence of early-onset colorectal cancer.
United in Blue display at ORAU
In observance of Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, 100 blue flags have been installed at ORAU’s main campus in Oak Ridge. The flags serve as a visual reminder that colorectal cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among men younger than 50 and is the second leading cause of cancer death among women younger than 50, according to American Cancer Society data.
Creating the flag installation was important to me because I am a 13-year colorectal cancer survivor, and a volunteer for Fight Colorectal Cancer, a national advocacy organization leading a movement to do more to cure colorectal cancer while supporting and empowering patients, caregivers and families.
Michael Holtz remembers his friend who lost his battle against colorectal cancer.
The display at ORAU is connected to Fight CRC’s United in Blue flag installation on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. The installation, featuring 27,400 blue flags, represents the number of people under age 50 who are projected to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer in 2030. Numbers like that are one thing, but I know people who are fighting late-stage cancer. My best friend, Ryan Vieth, died from side effects of an immunotherapy clinical trial he was on in the hopes of stopping the incurable stage-IV colorectal cancer that had wracked his body for five years.
Those flags represent actual lives that will be cut short because of colorectal cancer. I volunteered to be part of the large team that created the D.C. installation as well, before heading to Capitol Hill to advocate for increased funding for colorectal cancer research.
Cancer diagnosis made advocacy personal
I was diagnosed with stage-IIIB rectal cancer in March of 2012, just five days after my 43rd birthday. My diagnosis was on the leading edge of the upsurge in early-onset colorectal cancer. When I was diagnosed, the recommended screening age for colorectal cancer was 50. It is now 45.
My treatment plan included oral chemotherapy combined with radiation treatment, followed by surgery that resulted in me getting a permanent colostomy, and 12 rounds of chemotherapy that left me with permanent neuropathy in my feet and has caused hearing loss, among other side effects. I finished treatment in February 2013 and was declared NED (no evidence of disease) in May of that year.
Holtz marks his final treatment in 2013.
I worked for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network when I was diagnosed, teaching volunteers how to tell their cancer stories to the media and lawmakers to affect policy change, like increasing federal funding for cancer research. After hearing that I had cancer, I turned to social media and used my media relations skills to tell my story from diagnosis through treatment and beyond.
There is still so much stigma around colorectal cancer. Talking about the colon and how and where our bodies process waste makes people feel embarrassed or uncomfortable. Children’s books are written about the fact that everybody poops, but adults get squeamish talking about it. That can be deadly.
Early detection saves lives
Colorectal cancer is preventable with regular screenings, like a colonoscopy or even at-home tests.
Holtz volunteers for Fight Colorectal Cancer, an advocacy organization.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends regular colorectal cancer screening tests beginning at age 45. These tests can find precancerous polyps in the colon or rectum before they become malignant. Colonoscopy remains the gold standard for colorectal cancer prevention, but other options are available, including stool and blood tests. Talk to your doctor about the test that’s right for you.
I know people fear the prep involved in getting a colonoscopy, but I would prep every day for the rest of my life to never hear the words, “you have cancer” ever again. There are lots of upsides. A colonoscopy is a great cleanse. You’ll feel lighter and get an amazing nap, all while preventing cancer or detecting it early.
If you are younger than 45 and at higher risk because of family history of colorectal cancer or pre-cancerous polyps, talk to your doctor about being tested sooner. Other risk factors include inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, a genetic syndrome such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (Lynch syndrome). Talk to your doctor about when to get tested.