Joanne Kowalec

At 40 years old, mom of three and full time Nurse, I attributed my heartburn, bloating, fatigue, and constipation to the process of getting older. A couple years before that I began experiencing a dull pain in my left upper abdomen but thought it was because of my pecan eating obsession. My doctor just told me I’m constipated and to take Metamucil. I advocated for a colonoscopy. I ended up with a 7.2×3 cm tumor in my left transverse colon. After surgery to remove the tumor, I was diagnosed stage 3b. The tumor had gone through my colon wall and was stuck to the omentum. 2/41 lymph nodes were positive. After surgery I went through 12 rounds of folfox and now I’m in remission! My message to everyone is “Advocate for yourself, trust your body, and speak up!” Life is truly a gift, appreciate every day !