Colorectal Cancer: 402 Real Stories
402 stories match colorectal cancer. 338 of them mention surgery.
Stage IV Colorectal Cancer: Lorenz’s Patient Story
Lorenz Kraus was 61 when he described sigmoid colon cancer diagnosed 3 years earlier. During a hiking holiday, he noticed unusual exhaustion and frequent bowel movements after meals. After returning home, he sought medical advice. Colonoscopy in hospital…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Bernhard’s Survivor Story
Bernhard Kleinstück was 76 when he described rectal cancer diagnosed more than 20 years earlier. Before the diagnosis, he worked as a teacher. His first warning signs were difficulty concentrating and heavy exhaustion that often hit him by midday. After a…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Henriette’s Survivor Story
Henriette Schiller was 44 when she described rectal cancer diagnosed 5 years earlier. For several months before diagnosis, she noticed that her stamina was lower. Then she developed digestive problems, pain while sitting, and blood in her stool. Her partner…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Sonja’s Survivor Story
Sonja Novotny was 58 when rectal cancer was found during a preventive colonoscopy recommended by her daughter, who worked in healthcare. Until then, Sonja had not noticed warning signs, so the diagnosis came as a complete surprise. She appreciated that her…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Tracy’s Survivor Story
Tracy Murphy’s symptoms were not dramatic at first. For about 3 years, she dealt with mild to moderate problems and thought fatigue might be linked to long COVID or grief after losing her father. Over time, constipation became chronic enough that her doctor…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Johanna’s Patient Story
Johanna Vogel was a 24-year-old student living with familial adenomatous polyposis, or FAP, an inherited condition that can fill the colon with polyps and greatly increase colorectal cancer risk. Her father died young from colorectal cancer, and his illness…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Judy’s Survivor Story
Judy Perdue is a mother of 3 with a high-stress healthcare career. When she noticed a little blood, loose stools, and some pain, it was easy to think the problem might be hemorrhoids. A colonoscopy changed everything by finding rectal cancer when Judy was 44…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Sebastian’s Patient Story
Sebastian Siemens was 49, married, a father, and self-employed as an electrician when metastatic colorectal cancer reshaped his life. He had bowel problems for a long time, but the symptom that finally pushed him to seek care was severe exhaustion that made…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Lauren’s Survivor Story
Lauren C. had no symptoms when she finally scheduled her first colonoscopy. Her primary care doctor had recommended screening in November 2021, and her OB-GYN pushed her to take it seriously by sharing colon cancer statistics for Black women. Lauren went…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Gerlinde’s Survivor Story
Gerlinde Zeigert was 59, in a long-term partnership, and a former teacher and principal when she described life after hereditary colorectal cancer. Because her brother and a cousin had developed colorectal cancer early, she had already been advised to attend…
Read this storyStage III Colorectal Cancer: Joanne’s Survivor Story
Joanne Kowalec was 40, a mother of 3, and working full time as a nurse when symptoms began to build. Heartburn, bloating, fatigue, and constipation were easy to connect to aging or a busy life. A dull pain in her left upper abdomen had also been present for a…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Susanna’s Patient Story
Susanna Zier was 66 and a widow with 4 adult children when colorectal cancer was found. Ten years earlier, bowel symptoms had led to a colonoscopy that found and removed a polyp. In the years that followed, she faced several other illnesses and many…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Sylvia’s Survivor Story
Sylvia Herrmann had lived with ulcerative colitis since youth, so symptoms such as diarrhea were already part of daily life. At 39, the diarrhea became uncontrollable and led her to seek medical help. Colon cancer was found at a relatively early stage…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Lotte’s Survivor Story
Lotte Buchs was 72 and retired when she shared the story of a cancer diagnosed 10 years earlier. Blood in the stool over a longer period finally led her to a doctor, who performed a rectal examination and sent her directly to hospital. She was diagnosed with…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Matthias’s Survivor Story
Matthias Mitternich was 65 and 7 years past colon cancer treatment when he reflected on his experience. His first clue was a reddish change in his stool, which he initially blamed on eating beetroot. When the change continued despite diet adjustments, he saw…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Amalia’s Survivor Story
Amalia Spatz was 71 when rectal cancer entered a life already shaped by widowhood, family, and work behind her. She first noticed growing weakness and exhaustion and thought a medication might be the cause. After she was taken to hospital, many tests were…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Leon’s Patient Story
Leon Gerspacher was 20 when fatigue and digestive problems led to colonoscopy and CT scans that found rectal cancer. He was a science student and living with his girlfriend, and the diagnosis quickly changed his plans. Initial treatment used radiation therapy…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Ingrid’s Survivor Story
Ingrid Weis was 52, married, and raising 3 children when rectal cancer was found. Her first sign was blood in the toilet, which she initially thought might be hemorrhoids. Colonoscopy instead showed a tumor in the rectum. After further testing, treatment…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Heather’s Patient Story
Heather Williams was 48 when months of unexplained symptoms finally led to a Stage IV colorectal cancer diagnosis on 30 January 2023. She had been dealing with anemia, a persistent cough, and abdominal pain. Earlier explanations focused on asthma and anemia…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Annemarie’s Survivor Story
Annemarie Merscher was already used to close medical monitoring before colorectal cancer was found. Because of polyps, she had colonoscopies and rectoscopies every 6 months from 2006 to 2014. She also lived with a donor liver and immunosuppressive medication…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jordan’s Patient Story
Jordan McConahay was 28 when stomach pain sent her to a walk-in clinic after only 2 days of symptoms. She expected something minor. Instead, testing found a mass in her colon, and the cancer had already spread to her liver and lungs. Her colon was nearly…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Julia’s Survivor Story
Julia Weithe was 29 when colorectal cancer was diagnosed in October 2022. For years, her bowel had reacted strongly to stress, but in 2022 she developed severe bloody stools that clearly felt different. Colonoscopy found malignant polyps, and surgery was able…
Read this storyColorectal Cancer: Alex’s Patient Story
Alex was 36 when colon cancer entered his family's life in April 2024. At first, what he felt seemed like a gym-related back injury. It quickly became something much more serious, leading to doctor visits, treatment, and a cancer fight that his whole family…
Read this storyStage IV Colorectal Cancer: Jutta’s Patient Story
Jutta Groß was 47, a single mother of 2, and already familiar with hereditary colorectal cancer risk. At 19, because of familial adenomatous polyposis and many colon polyps, her colon was removed and the small intestine was connected to the sphincter. She…
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