Michael Holtz

I was diagnosed with stage IIIB rectal cancer on March 27, 2012, five days after my 43rd birthday. I was with my wife in the gastroenterologist’s office.

I had undergone a colonoscopy and was ushered awake and then taken to the doctor’s office for a private conversation about the 6 cm adenocarcinoma that he found on the wall of my rectum. I was shocked and remember little about the conversation.

Symptoms I had been experiencing were rectal bleeding, ongoing change in bowel habits, and inability to have a bowel movement (bowel obstruction or constipation)

My treatments included chemotherapy, surgery, radiation. I have a permanent ostomy, and I did not take part in a clinical trial since first-line treatment, Xeloda® and radiation, surgery, and FOLFOX worked for me.

My advice to those experiencing signs or symptoms or of recommended screening age is to get the screening. It’s easier to prevent cancer or treat it in earlier stages than to treat it at later stages.

As a relentless champion, you have a voice in the conversation about colorectal cancer. Use it however you can — to encourage screening, to encourage better treatments, to talk to members of the media, to share your story with any audience you can, to talk to members of Congress, etc.

Something all members of Congress need to know is that colorectal cancer is on the rise among younger people. More research needs to be done, especially as part of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program. Why there isn’t a dedicated research line for CRC makes no sense to me.