Sandra Brooks

Story: I am 66 years old. I have stage IV colon cancer and am on chemo for life. It's not that bad; it could be so much worse. I was one who did not listen when my doctors told me at 50 to get a colonoscopy. I felt it was too invasive and passed on it. I started having symptoms, constipation actually, at age 64. By the time I was diagnosed, I had a stage III tumor about the size of a lemon. I survived for a while, then it came back to stage IV. I get chemo every two weeks.

Advice: Listen when your doctor tells you to get a colonoscopy and if you get a doctor who blows you off, go to another and insist! Doctors can be a big part of the problem in getting diagnosed. They tend to NOT want to hear about our poop problems.