I was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer at age 42. Other than a change in bowel habits (thinning, abdominal discomfort, bloating) I did not have any other symptoms and no family history. I was referred to a gastrointestinal specialist who offered a colonoscopy to rule out diverticulitis or other conditions. He said the chance of it being cancer was very low. That colonoscopy saved my life. He immediately found a large tumor and my cancer journey began. That was almost 12 years ago.

Connect with other patients through support groups, online groups, etc. Also, try to tackle your journey one step at a time. Trying to learn about everything at once can be very overwhelming.