6:00 - Bringing Awareness to Colon Cancer

6:00 - Bringing Awareness to Colon Cancer

March is "national colorectal cancer awareness month"... according to the c-d-c.... among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the united states.

Experts say the majority of these deaths can be prevented with early screening.

News 10 hannah follman explains just how devastating this illness can be for everyone around it.

Today i spoke with one local couple today.

They discussed with me their difficult journey with colon cancer over the past few years pk} [take pkg duration:1:39] ann and bill bailey are terre haute residents.

In 2018, bill was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer just a week before their wedding... "he did not have a family history and he was not over 50 so techniically he did not qualify to get a colonoscopy.

It took a lot of work before he finally got it and when he did we found out he had cancer" because he was under fifty years old, it took them nearly 6 months to get a colonoscopy that insurance could cover.

Now he's fighting for his life... "it spread to his liver first and his lymphnodes and now it spread to his lungs and its made him ineligible for any tyope of surgery.

He recently found out he is not responding to treatment" elinda fuqua is gastroenterologist nurse practitioner at union hospital.

She told news 10 that a recent study found 60 percent of those diagnosed with colon cancer could have been prevented with early detection that is why she is emphasizing the importance of staying up to date with screenings and colonoscopies.

One of the main reasons for this is a lot of times there are no symptoms until the cancer is far advanced.

[notes:] "early detection is key , its not something you generally have symptoms from until its already fairly progressed" bill wishes he couldve been checked sooner, and thats why he wants you to get checked when you can.

"be your own advocate be your own advocate fight for yourself until someone listens and will get the job done.

And dont wait for fear its going to hurt or something like that."

To help to help that."

Something like to hurt or fear its going to hurt or something like that."