Senior year of high school for Emily Vest was supposed to be different – going to prom, competing in tennis tournaments, going out with friends. Instead, it was the year that Emily began to suffer from symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
In the United States, colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women combined. Women have only a slightly lower chance of developing colon cancer than men. Women might shrug off early warning signs such as abdominal pain, bloating, cramping, or bleeding during bowel movements, attributing such symptoms to menstrual issues or hemorrhoids.
Cancer loomed large in Bill’s life. His father passed away from kidney cancer at age 56. His mother battled colon cancer twice, once in her mid-fifties and again at age 86. Although he was only 49 and had no symptoms, his family’s history with cancer was what motivated him to seek a colonoscopy.
Justin was only 28 years old when he started having stomach pain and noticed some blood in his stool. His symptoms seemed to improve, but he decided to see a specialist anyway. That decision probably saved his life.
