The Doctors: Colon Cancer
The Doctors talked to a mother named Shiela about her cancer story. The mother said she started having weight loss, vomiting after meals, and couldn’t kick a cold. She went to a GI specialist and did a colonoscopy, where she learned they found a mass there.
Her husband Chad reached out to TV star Luke Perry, whom he had known since he was in the third grade. Luke Perry said he’d do anything to help. After the surgery, they learned Sheila had stage 3 Colon Cancer.
The Doctors talked to actor Luke Perry and his friend’s wife about colon cancer and the importance of early detection and treatment. (euthman / flickr)
She went through a year of chemotherapy and she said she had never been so sick in her life. It was really hard for her to eat. But she made it through and now she’s eight years cancer free.
The Doctors: When to Get Tested for Colon Cancer
Sheila said that the diagnosis scared her. She had two small children and was very active. Dr. Travis Stork said colon cancer can be one of the most lethal cancers, but with detection and the right treatment you can survive.
Luke Perry is very passionate about raising awareness. He said that this cancer is one of the most easily detected, but it’s also one of the most lethal cancers out there. This cancer is the second most deadly cancer. That’s why he wants people to know that while you might not want to get a colonoscopy, it’s important to get it done.
Luke said that you should schedule it on your own, rather than waiting for your doctor to tell you to do it. He suggested getting at 40, not at 50, which is when your doctor will tell you to do it. Dr. Travis said if you have a family history of colon cancer, you can do it earlier. It could save your life.
Dr. Jennifer Ashton also suggested trying one of the new simple genetic tests that can be done that can help you detect your risk for colon cancer. This will help you identify red flags so you know when you should get a colonoscopy and get checked for this.
The Doctors: Luke Perry Childhood
Chad said Luke is one of his best friends and he’s known him forever. He told a story of the two of them adventuring on a platoon boat and a patrol came after them when they entered a reservoir. They were only 7 or 8 years old and jumped out to evade capture, but they were caught.
The Doctors: Strong Arm Selfie
Luke also talked about a campaign going with Bayer Pharmaceutical Company, where every time someone takes a picture of themselves flexing one of their arms and tags it #strongarmselfie, Bayer will give $1 to the cause.
Dr. Travis urged people to get tested, because this cancer is so detectable.
Leave a Reply