A Story Behind National Colon Cancer Awareness Month

This post originally appeared on Plight of the Suburbanite. Please share this information and if you have a family history of colorectal cancer, talk with your doctor.

Did you know that March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month?

Oh man, but we’re way too young to be worrying – let alone talking – about our colons.

That’s not necessarily the case.

I was in college when I had my first colonoscopy. I have never forgotten how outwardly puzzled the nurses were, how they commented on my age, looking at my chart, then me, my chart, then me.

What puzzled me was that it was that unusual for someone young to be in their room, and to me, that spelled a lack of awareness. (Not to mention how annoying it was to have to explain why I was there each time.)

It’s true that if you don’t have abnormal risk factors, screenings generally begin at age 50.

However, my mother was diagnosed at 32, and passed away at 34.

The American Cancer Society recommends that anyone with first-degree family history begun getting tested at age 40, or 10 years before their relative’s age at diagnosis, whichever is EARLIER.

If you have relatives that were diagnosed with colorectal cancer at 60 or older, you should still be tested beginning at 40 instead of 50.

I am 36 years old and at this point, I get ‘scoped every two years. It’s not fun, but you know what? Neither is the dentist. Or taxes. Or a slew of other activities that we take care of on a day-to-day basis.

It’s my health. And it’s not just about me – There are two little peanuts who are banking on me sticking around for a while.

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