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Personal Screening Stories

Here are stories from real patients about their colorectal cancer screening experiences.

Tom, Age 60

"Even as a health professional who should know better, I had delayed and delayed getting a colonoscopy until well beyond the recommended initial screening age. Delay, of course, was due to the uncertainty about the discomfort of the procedure and prior cleansing process. Finally, my wife's 'encouragement' and my sister having had the procedure done and finding several pre-cancerous polyps eventually got to me!

"I had my first colonoscopy a few weeks ago at age 60 and it turned out to be simple, pain-free and not at all what I had worked it up to be. I did have one pre-cancerous polyp, but am really lucky that I had it removed at that point. My doctor recommends another colonoscopy in three years and I won't delay this time."

Harriett, Age 82

"I'm a colon cancer survivor. I'm doing fine now. It's been 8 years since I found out I had colon cancer and had surgery and chemotherapy.

"At the time, routine screening for this disease was not discussed or done, and my doctor never told me to get tested. Of course, now I know that having a colonoscopy can find polyps and the doctor can even remove polyps during the test. I think if I had been tested earlier, the doctor could have removed polyps from me and they never would have turned into cancer.

"Now I get tested regularly. I haven't had any (more) polyps. The prep is not fun, but I can get through it. And I'm asleep for the colonoscopy, so there's no pain. It's always a relief to know that the doctor has done a thorough examination and that I'm okay! I urge everyone to get screened. Don't wait until you have symptoms, because then it could be too late."

Kevin, Age 50

"I may have a slight bias when it comes to having appropriate cancer screening completed at the right age. I have been working in the cancer field for over 12 years and have heard many times the important messages about the need to get screened for colorectal cancer beginning at age 50. I also knew I had options; that more than one screening method can be effective. What I didn't anticipate was the personal 'support' from my friends and colleagues asking days before my 50th birthday and regularly thereafter, did you make your appointment yet? The reminders were regular and the approaches varied from offering assistance if I needed help with driving to an appointment to comments like, I should know better and how come I haven't made my appointment yet! Letting the shock of turning the new decade pass, and juggling a very busy work schedule, I finally made the call months later to schedule a colonoscopy.

"When I saw my doctor, I let him know I needed a referral for one and he said to me, 'This is a switch, a patient asking for it!' I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I was able to make the appointment and that I didn't have to wait months and months for the procedure. But then I began the dread of anticipating the preparation for it. In hindsight, it was all fine and the actual day really went quite smoothly. When I checked in that morning, the nurse asked me why I was there and I said, 'Do you have a place to check off "peer pressure" as the reason for the appointment?' During the screening, I was glad that I was only mildly sedated so I could watch and interact with the doctor and staff. I got to ask questions and see everything. I am one of those people that it helped give me comfort to be able to participate vs. just lie there. I was glad they were open to my involvement.

"Most importantly, I am done and the news was good! I have a sense of relief that I have done one more important thing to help take care of myself. Now it is my turn to offer the personal 'support' to friends and family as they come of age!"

Cindy, Age 52

"My mother had colon cancer. Luckily, she was treated and is well now. But because my mother had it, my doctor thought I should get tested when I was in my mid-40s. I remember drinking all of the 'special' stuff the day before (to clean out the colon). That was the hardest part of getting tested. During the test (I had a colonoscopy), I wanted to know what was going on, so I wasn't totally asleep. I actually watched it on a television monitor and it was interesting! They didn't find anything, and I was told to come back after I was 50.

"Well, I'm over 50 now, and last year I had my second colonoscopy. There were some changes this time around. First, the liquid I had to drink was different, and I think slightly easier to get down. So the preparation for the test was a bit easier. Second, this time they did find polyps! I didn't have any symptoms, so I didn't expect they would find polyps. But I was wrong! They removed two polyps during my colonoscopy (I was totally knocked out this time). I don't know for certain that they would have turned into cancer, but I'm glad I won't have the chance to find out!

"I tell everyone I can to get screened for colon cancer. I know, from seeing my mother go through treatment, that getting tested is no big deal compared with getting treated."