Meg Padley

“I was alone when I got the news. I was a busy working mom to my twins attending third grade. My husband was in the Army and traveling on the West Coast. When I visited my primary care doctor for an annual visit, I felt great. I had no symptoms. She mentioned I could see a colorectal specialist in our medical practice regarding a non-serious hemorrhoid issue.

I wasn’t going to make the appointment but reconsidered thinking, 'Why not? There’s nothing to lose by discussing it with a doctor.'

After the sigmoidoscopy, the doctor spoke the words to me. I'll never forget them. 'I know you didn’t come here for this, but I found a tumor in your lower colon.'

I was by myself and shaking as he explained that he made an appointment for me with a gastroenterologist for a colonoscopy and an oncologist. When the biopsy came back as malignant, the doctor explained the tumor was at the top of my rectum and I’d most like be treated for rectal cancer. I met my oncologist on my 47th birthday and my cancer journey began.”

Advice: “Go now, it may save your life. A little discomfort now will go a long way towards peace of mind or getting treatment you need immediately. There is no pain from a colonoscopy -- you don’t feel a thing.”