Colorectal Cancer: Kaitlin's Patient Story

What happened, in summary

Kaitlin Van Saders first noticed bowel changes after the birth of her second son. She was going to the bathroom more often and asked a GI doctor for a colonoscopy, but at age 32, with no family history, she was denied and told to decrease stress. During pregnancy with her daughter at age 36, the symptoms worsened. She had more urgency and went to the bathroom much more often, even though she did not have pain or bleeding. After giving her body time to adjust after delivery, she returned to the doctor and asked again for a colonoscopy. This time, the doctor agreed. Her first colonoscopy was on July 30, 2024. When she woke up from anesthesia, the doctor told her he was glad she had pushed for the test and that the problem needed to come out immediately. Kaitlin had lower anterior resection surgery on August 15, 2024. Less than 2 weeks later, on August 26, she needed an emergency diverting ileostomy. Her account shows how rectal cancer symptoms in a young adult can be repeatedly minimized, especially when there is no family history, and why persistent bowel changes deserve timely colonoscopy.