Colon cancer is rising in younger adults. I’m one of them.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, a designation that has sparked a wave of support, inspiring communities, survivors, and advocates to rally together for early detection, research, and care.

Colorectal cancer remains the third most common cancer. 

The passing of actor James Van Der Beek at the age of 48 has drawn attention to colon cancer trends. According to the American Cancer Society, cases of colon cancer in adults aged 20 to 49 have risen over the past three decades. For individuals under 50, it is currently the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. 

The American Cancer Society now recommends adults aged 45 and older undergo regular screenings. There are new alternatives to the colonoscopy, which needs a lot of prep and is done under anesthesia. Less invasive tests exist, such as the at-home Cologuard test, DNA blood tests, or stool sampling.  

Obesity; lack of physical activity; diets high in red or processed meat and low in fruits and vegetables; smoking; heavy alcohol use; having inflammatory bowel disease; or a family history are some of the main factors contributing to colon cancer.  

None of these risk factors applied to me. 

When I first started feeling sick, cancer never crossed my mind. I experienced constant dizziness, and soon after, I was slammed by terrifying panic attacks. They came out of nowhere, so intense that I completely stopped driving – something I’d always loved.  

With a family tree full of heart disease, it made sense that my doctors zeroed in on my heart. I went through every heart test imaginable, always bracing, always waiting for that fateful call. But every result came back clear. Next, the focus shifted to hormones, then anemia, and the medical guessing game went on – and on. For years, I bounced between offices and specialists, feeling like a mystery no one could solve while my life kept shrinking around these unexplained symptoms.  

When COVID-19 hit, I stopped focusing on my health. Around that time, I had the chance to interview Daniel Island resident and breast cancer survivor Lori Bayer about her experience and her founding of Swing for the Lowcountry, a nonprofit that helps local breast cancer patients. 

Her journey was both moving and encouraging. She described cancer as a gift, but I remember thinking I'd return that present, even without a receipt! I didn't realize then just how relevant her words would become in my own life. 

As the pandemic subsided and I began running out of options, I had a colonoscopy. They found nothing. All good. Less than five months later, it was clear that the tumor (about the size of a golf ball) had been missed. After passing out and winding up in the hospital, another colonoscopy was performed with a pediatric tool, something many patients – especially women – should request. 
I was finally diagnosed with stage III colon cancer.  

Surgery became my only option. A third of my colon, 20 lymph nodes, my tumor, and my appendix were removed. Soon after all my numbers and vitals returned to normal, I felt renewed. 

Because the cancer spread, the protocol was chemotherapy. The day they surgically placed the port in my chest, it felt surreal. I acted as though it was nothing, but inside I was terrified. 

The chemo infusions came twice a month. For 48 hours afterwards, I was tethered to the medicine, feeling every drip seep into my veins and alter my world. 

By the third round, the physical changes were impossible to ignore: handfuls of hair littered my pillow, my eyelashes vanished so suddenly that my face looked unfamiliar in the mirror, and my weight dropped to 93 pounds. Food lost all appeal; I spent most days curled up under blankets, too weak to rise, sometimes wondering if I’d ever be me again. 

When chemo started to attack my organs, forcing me to stop, I felt a strange mix of relief and fear – what happens now?  

Amid the uncertainty, I discovered that while I couldn’t control my diagnosis, I could control my perspective. Lori Bayer’s wisdom echoed in my mind, nudging me to search for silver linings, even in the darkest hours.  

I noticed the extraordinary kindness woven throughout my everyday life: Daniel Island friends who dropped off homemade dinners when I couldn’t cook, neighbors who flung open their doors and hearts to shelter my family, and a steady stream of check-ins – text messages, calls, even handwritten notes, all reminding me I wasn’t alone. 

Friends from my home in California reached out, wrapping me in a warm embrace of love and unwavering support. Despite the miles separating us, their compassion bridged every distance, making me feel cherished and never alone. Even friends I had lost touch with resurfaced, rekindling connections as if no time had passed. Their kindness and presence became beautiful reminders that love endures and gives comfort that enveloped me during my hardest days. 

I found joy and fulfillment in writing for The Daniel Island News. Sharing the stories of the community not only gave me purpose but also filled my gratitude. The people I wrote about inspired me, reminding me of the incredible spirit and unity that exists in our community. 

My husband spent hours combing through research, mapping out alternative therapies, and ferrying me from one appointment to the next. My grown son came home to help. Gradually, gratitude replaced despair, and my new mantra – “How lucky am I?” – became the thread that stitched hope back into my days.  

As my strength returned, I was able to drive, even get on a plane – something I started to fear in recent years. I felt whole again, grateful for each day. 

And then, just like that, the cancer returned with a vengeance – the dreaded Stage IV. But this time it hit differently.  

I am no longer afraid. 

I cherish the ordinary days with gratitude. And in some odd way, the “gift” of cancer was a blessing in disguise. 

Early diagnosis is paramount for beating colon cancer. But too many people avoid testing because they fear colonoscopies. But today game-changing alternatives are available. Learn more about alternative testing at bit.ly/3N92qht.

Marie Rocha-Tygh is a reporter and writer for The Daniel Island News since 2018.