In 2022, at 33 years old—with a two-year-old and a seven-week-old at home—I heard the words no one ever wants to hear: “You have cancer.”
A few months earlier, a stomach flu courtesy of daycare had knocked out our whole household. My wife and daughter bounced back after a few days, but my symptoms lingered—for weeks, then months. They weren’t debilitating or even particularly alarming. Just persistent. Annoying enough to send me to the doctor, where possibilities like pregnancy (🙄🌈) or post-flu IBS were floated. After another month with no improvement, I asked for a referral to a GI specialist. They weren’t convinced it was serious, but suggested a colonoscopy—“just to be safe.”
When I woke up from sedation, my doctor didn’t hesitate: I had cancer.
On May 23—the 143rd day of the year—I underwent surgery to remove nearly my entire colon, my appendix, and 129 lymph nodes. The tumor was larger than a tennis ball and had likely been growing for quite some time.
A week later, back home, I got the pathology results: the cancer had not spread. Stage 1.
The terrifying truth is that without that stomach flu, I might have stayed asymptomatic far longer—and my outcome could have been very different. I’m sharing this to spread awareness: don’t ignore symptoms, advocate for yourself, and surround yourself with a tribe that helps you “be fearless,” even through the most unimaginably difficult moments. I’m forever grateful for mine.
As I approach my 4 year cancer free milestone, I invite you to join my tribe by:
- -Walking beside me on March 21
- -Donating to the cause
- -Sharing my story, in hopes it reaches someone who’s putting off that colonoscopy
Thank you—for listening, for showing up, and for helping someone else find the courage to act.
