Ending Colorectal Cancer Awareness month with testimonies

Every year, March is designated as Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. This year, we are ending the month with the stories of four local women who are fighting, or who have fought, this monstrous disease in the last year. Here are their stories…

by Wendy Coker

In January of 2024, I brought my dad home with me to take care of him during his last days/weeks of life due to cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer). Daddy passed in February. In the next 2-3 weeks following Daddy’s death, I began to have some blood in the toilet after bowel movements, sometimes copious amounts. Some said, “It’s probably just hemorrhoids.” As a nurse, I knew in my heart this wasn’t hemorrhoids. I just knew it. After getting some affairs in order, I scheduled my colonoscopy, somewhat scared. With our amazing local doctor, Dr. Bishop, and our local facility, Emanuel Medical Center, my scope was done.

I had one polyp. ONE. Dr. Bishop was immediately suspicious, and of course, tissue was sent off for a biopsy. With expeditious testing, I got the call just three days later. CANCER.

What? Cancer? How could this be? Just utterly shock. Speechless. Denial. I had the hardest time with this, I mean, my Daddy just died of cancer!! Why do I have to have it now?

Dr. Bishop quickly sent a referral to colorectal surgeon, Dr. Ankur Goel at Piedmont in Augusta, and it went from there to another referral to Dr. Jeremy Wells at Augusta Oncology.

After many tests, scans, etc., chemo infusions began in June, finishing in September, with chemo-radiation treatments beginning in September and ending in November.

Dr. Goel was gracious to let me have a good Christmas, because he says, “You never know with cancer”.

Surgery was scheduled for January 15, 2025. The waffle-ball sized tumor was removed from my rectum, along with ½ of my rectum and 12 inches of my sigmoid colon. An ileostomy was placed until my body could heal. Six weeks later, on February 26, 2025, my ostomy was reversed, and I continue to heal to this day. Every day is challenging, as I have new bathroom and bowel habits to deal with.

I wouldn’t wish this on anyone in the world. The positives from my experience would be all of the prayers that have been sent up for me, the faith and my God I’ve had to lean on, the friends that have called, texted, cooked for us and donated financially—I can’t thank them enough, but most importantly, multiple people have contacted me and because of hearing my story, have had their colonoscopy, including my two brothers, who both had multiple pre-cancerous polyps removed.

If I can encourage anyone, no matter the age, if you are having any symptoms, please see your physician and get your screening.

Facts:

• The recommended age for a colonoscopy is 45, unless an immediate family member has been diagnosed, then it would be 10 years before family member’s diagnosis—–my kids are having them at 25, regardless!

• Younger adults are usually diagnosed at later stages.

• In 2025, the American Cancer Society estimates that 154,270 people in the US will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 52.900 will die from the disease.

• Of all cancer deaths in people under 50, colorectal is now #1 in men, and #2 in women.

• Colon cancer is the 2nd deadliest cancer.

• Every 4 minutes, someone who hears the words, “You have colorectal cancer”.

• Colorectal cancer is the 3rd most common cancer worldwide, with 1.9 million diagnosed in 2022.

by Connie Wiley

2020 was the year that I should have had my colonoscopy. COVID hit in March of that year and no elective surgeries were done. I completely forgot about it with everything going on in the country and our hometown with COVID. 2023 came around and I mentioned to Raymond, my husband, it was time for our colonoscopies.

The doctor we had used for our first one was no longer in Georgia. We checked around and heard how good Dr John Bishop was. He had taken over Dr Brad Headley’s practice here in Swainsboro. I decided to go first. October 23, 2023, was the day.

I was just a little nervous. Everyone was just as nice as they could be. Looking for a great result from the procedure was what. I hoped for. Boy, was I wrong!!!! Dr. Bishop came in after I had woken up and told us I had a poly that was too big to remove. He told me I needed a surgeon to remove it. Oh, what a hit to my stomach. I thought I was going to throw up. Raymond and I did not know which way to turn. Who would we find to do this surgery. Our faith in God was strong and we began to pray for answers. In the meantime, I had let my family know the outcome and they began to pray also.

We prayed for God’s guidance to find a surgeon that could do the surgery. Internet here we come.

I read about at least 15 surgeons and kept going back to Dr. Kendix Evans from Vidalia. God was surely working! We made an appointment with him, and I went in his office praying. What a good man. He told me the results of the biopsy from the polyp. Boy, I cried and told him I was not ready to die and was one big ball of nerves. We settled on a date for my Colectomy, Nov 27. From the date of my office visit til November 27th, I prayed and kept my faith, and I think my relationship with Jesus became stronger and stronger. I had my church, family and friends praying for me. Raymond and I could both feel the prayers that day of surgery.

Dr Evan’s came from surgery and told Raymond and my family that he had to remove 12 inches of my colon and also 12 lymph nodes. I remained in the hospital from Monday through Thursday. I got the best care from all the nurses.

We went for post-surgery and find out that the polyp and 3 of the 12 lymph nodes came back positive for cancer. Here we go again. What was I supposed to do??? CANCER!! The thing that took my mother away from me and my sisters 20 years ago!!

Dr Evan’s told me & Raymond I needed to have Chemotherapy. Another knife to my gut!! He had referred me to Low Country Cancer Center, right next door to the hospital. I left broken hearted. We prayed and informed all my family. People if you do not have Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I do not know how you can get through one day.

We turned everything over to Him once again. I was following His guidance on this journey.

Christy Sharpe called me on that Wednesday night after I had seen Dr Evans. I had no idea she worked at Low Country Cancer Center as Office Manager. She was looking at my case and referral

on her computer. She told me she would be taking care of me, and she had put me with Dr Bishnoi.

It was, Girl, now when do u want to see him. I told her as soon as possible. She came back with, how about in the morning at 9:00. Boy, was God’s hands in this. I told her yes!!

We were there and ready to face what we had to with God’s hands leading us. Dr Bishnoi was the nicest Dr. His bedside manners and actions were just what Raymond, and I needed that day. We introduced ourselves to him and he to us. His first words to me after our introduction were, “U DO NOT HAVE CANCER. IT HAS BEEN REMOVED COMPLETELY.” I cried and asked him at least 3 or 4 more times. And he kept saying yes it has all been removed. He told me I had Stage 3 colon cancer. He then told us what we were going to do to make sure no more was in my body. CHEMOTHERAPY!!! I asked him to explain to us what this entailed. First, I was to get a port inserted under my skin on the right side of my upper chest. January 4,2024 this was done by Dr Evans. January 8, 2024, Raymond and I were to be back at the Cancer Center at 8am to begin my chemotherapy. I was scared to death. What was this poison going to do to my body? Who were going to be in the room taking chemo with me?

All kind of questions going thru my mind.

Well, as. I said before, God had me and I know He had me covered from head to toe. I was taken to a private room. I had a recliner, tv, blankets, snacks and a built-in wall cot for Raymond. Christy was there with us to make sure everything went smoothly. I had an Angel for a nurse, Emily Harvill,

she was just what God ordered for me. She is the sweetest Christian woman!! She was so caring and would give smiles and praises to God!!

Chemo started and she explained everything she was doing. 12 treatments of FOLFOX twice a month for 6 months. That was 1 every other week.

I was scared of losing my hair, being sick and being very tired. Well, God took it again. This type of chemo is for colon cancer. It does not make u sick, and your hair may thin just a little. This is just what happened to me no sickness and no hair loss.

I may have had a down time on the third day after chemo, but it was not for long. I did get neuropathy towards the end of my treatments, but it is just aggravating more than painful. I was able to take all my treatments, and my bloodwork was great every day I had a treatment. I finished my chemo on June 10, 2024. Since then, I have had a clean colonoscopy with clean bloodwork and CT scans.

People, please get your colonoscopy and don’t keep putting it off. The hardest part of it is the drinking of the concoction u drink the day before.

When you wake up from having it done you will be happy that the dr says u are ok for 10 more years. You do not want to hear that u have cancer.

I do not know what Raymond and I would do without having Jesus Christ in our hearts and believing that He is the great healer. He alone is how I got through this journey. I also had the best prayer warriors in the world. I had people from all over the world pray for me and Raymond. My family, friends and even people on Facebook that I didn’t even know. But we greatly appreciated all prayers for me from everyone.

If u don’t get a colonoscopy for yourself, please do it for your loved ones.

This is a part of my Journey with Colon Cancer.

I had God on my side and with me every step of the way.

Thank you for letting me share my journey with all of you.

by Eliza Noles

On March 14, 2024, I was sitting in the emergency room with excruciating pain in my abdomen. The words “there is a mass in your colon” soon followed from the doctor. My immediate response was “are you joking?!” I laugh at the thought of saying those words now, but what does one say when they are given gut-wrenching (literally) news? I knew something had been off for several months with my body. Extreme fatigue, lack of appetite, everyday tasks seemed so incredibly hard. I chalked it up to being in my late 30’s and my body changing as women’s bodies tend to do once they get close to 40. I had a full hormone panel ran and bloodwork drawn at my OBGYN trying to rule out anything. The only thing that caused concern on that report was that my vitamin D number was completely depleted. I now know that was a sign that something was wrong with my colon. Thankfully that night in the ER, the doctor ordered a CT scan with contrast. Had he not ordered that test, I don’t believe we would’ve ever found the tumor in my colon and I would’ve been sent home with “it’s just gas pains.” Everything seemed to happen so quickly for me. The following morning, my two guardian angels were fast at work lining me up with one of the best gastro doctors on the planet. A biopsy followed, along with labs, meeting with the most incredible oncology team, and before I knew it, treatment began the first week of April.

As I sit here one year later, I am in awe of God’s faithfulness and truly thankful to be going through this journey. Have there been hard days? Absolutely. Have there been good days? Absolutely. One thing remained the same each and every day…the peace of God surrounding me. I truly have felt His presence in every single moment. I certainly wouldn’t have made it this far without my amazing family and friends, my many prayer warriors, my wonderful work family, and my incredible medical team.

As we left the hospital on that March night, my prayer was simple. Lord, please make this test my testimony. In true fashion, He is helping me write one beautiful testimony. One that I can’t wait to share when the day comes. Until then as I wait to hear those four words, “you are cancer free,” I will continue to sit in my waiting room and trust in His plan.

March 14th is not a day of sadness for me. I choose to celebrate March 14, and plan to every year in the future. Yes, my life changed on that day in 2024, but I can’t help but look at all the good this year has brought me. The people and experiences God brought into my life – from my doctors and my special nurses who I now consider family, to those fighting right alongside me and even those that lost their battle along the way. I truly believe God gives me the strength each day to continue this journey in honor of those precious friends.

Ironically, March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month. I urge everyone to make an appointment with your doctor for a full physical and colonoscopy. The recommended age for a colonoscopy is 45. I turned 37 years old 19 days before getting diagnosed. It’s never too early to be tested. This journey has taught me so much about this disease.

One thing is absolutely certain – It. Does. Not. Discriminate. It doesn’t matter your age, race, or if you’re in the best shape of your life. Call your doctor and schedule a physical. Your health matters!

by Keri Claxton

Did you know that 1 in 24 people will develop colon cancer in their lifetime? I never imagined I would become part of this statistic until it happened. My colon cancer journey began in October 2023 at the young age of 38. For several weeks, I experienced a nagging pain that came and went in my lower left abdomen. As a busy mom of three, I initially brushed it off, thinking I didn’t have time for a doctor’s visit. However, the pain intensified to the point where I struggled to lift my leg to get dressed. Then, in November, the pain became excruciating, and I knew something was seriously wrong. I went to a nearby hospital where a CT scan and labs were performed. My intestines appeared inflamed, and I was treated for diverticulitis. While this provided some temporary relief, the pain returned two days later, even worse than before. That Sunday afternoon marked a life-altering moment. I made the long drive to Augusta University ER, experiencing the worst pain of my life. They conducted their own tests, and again, the CT scan showed nothing beyond the worsening infection from the first scan. The doctors decided to perform an emergency colonoscopy, which revealed a nine-centimeter mass in my sigmoid colon. Later that afternoon, I was rushed into surgery where the tumor and nine inches of my colon were removed. At 38, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 colon cancer. The surgeon was confident he had removed all the cancerous tissue, but I still had to undergo 12 rounds of preventive chemotherapy. For six months, my husband and I made the trip to Augusta twice a week. I received treatment one day and wore a pump for the next 48 hours. The side effects were challenging, but I knew it was necessary to remain cancer-free. In June 2024, I completed all treatments, and in August, I had one more surgery.

Praise God, I am now cancer-free! If you are 45 years or older, or if you experience any signs that if something isn’t right, please get a colonoscopy. I promise the preparation for a colonoscopy is far better than surgery and treatments! This disease doesn’t discriminate, and you are never too young to become a statistic.