Colorectal Cancer: Jessica's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Jessica Everts first went to her primary care doctor because she had near-constant stomachache and blood in her stool. She was referred to a GI specialist who came to town once a week, and her colonoscopy was scheduled for January. She was told cancer would be very unlikely, especially at her age. When she woke up from the colonoscopy on January 22, doctors told her they believed they had found cancer. The next steps moved quickly: referrals, scans, and travel to Bakersfield for care. Within about 2 months, Jessica had surgery to remove the tumor and was preparing to begin 12 rounds of chemotherapy. At age 27, she was described as the youngest colon cancer patient her GI doctor had diagnosed and among the youngest colorectal cancer patients at the cancer center. Her story highlights how young adults can still face colon cancer, and how rural access can make care harder. Jessica’s message is not only about treatment, but also about access: young people with symptoms need to be taken seriously, and rural patients need realistic ways to reach screening, diagnosis, and cancer care. Her experience also reflects the pressure of making fast treatment decisions while still trying to understand a diagnosis that most people did not expect at her age.