Postby Lee » Fri Jul 23, 2021 7:46 pm
As others have said, many young people have received this cancer diagnoses, especially if it runs in the family. I am a 17 yr survivor, been on this forum for about 15 yrs. Was told I was cured after 11 yrs. When I was diagnosed, my cancer was deeded advanced, only had about 30% chance of making it to 5 yrs. A lot of those stats included old people who died from other things other than cancer. Believe me, there has been a lot of advancements since my diagnoses.
The youngest person I know was 16 yrs old when diagnosed, at 26, he was very much alive. While he posted here a few times here, it was his mother who posted here for a few years. At 16, he told his parents he was passing blood, mom passed info on to doctor, doctor just assumed it was hemorrhoids. One day, mom was putting son's clothes away, when she found blood soaked underwear stuff in son's drawer. She called his doctor, said she was bring son in. Called school, have him ready. Son was a bit confused, what is going on. Then saw the blood soak underwear, broke down into tears, not because he was scared, rather because he knew he was not facing this alone anymore. He was admitted into the hospital that day. Surgery was a few days later.
Another young women, early 20's stage IV, very much alive today. I never actually met her, butt she was a niece of a good friend of mine. She was pregnant with her 1st child when she started passing blood, everyone assumed hemorrhoids. Can't remember all the details, but within 6 months of giving birth, she was diagnosed with colon cancer & one met in liver. This was a few years prior to my diagnoses, & they were just starting to experiment with stage IV diagnoses. At the time of her diagnoses, most doctors told her stage IV was inoperable. MD Anderson took her case simply because she only had one met. They were successful, she had to wait 5 yrs before she was given the okay to try & get pregnant again. Took a few years, butt she did have a 2nd child.
They found out when she was diagnosed that she had relatives who died from colon cancer. They were going to start screening (scoping) her kids starting at age 10. She was my inspiration. I did not have this forum when I was going through treatment.
Know in your heart, YOU CAN & WILL BEAT THIS!!!! Hope this helps,
Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!