Throughout college, Evan White occasionally took a little blood in his stool. It has become sporadic so he gave it a little thought. Two years after graduation, he visited his doctor, noticing that his energy level had plummeted. He was shocked by the diagnosis.
“How do I get colon cancer at 24? The only thing you’ve heard about it is that it’s common among older people, “White, now 27, of Dallas, recalls today. “I was thinking, ‘This is a dream, isn’t it? This is not real. ”
Thanks to surgery and treatment, White was cancer free for a year. But in February 2019, the scan revealed that his cancer had returned – and this time it was stage 4. If something goes wrong, White is sharing his story to encourage others to see a doctor.
“Being able to speak up and talk to your doctor can help you catch some of these things before they progress and get worse.”
Ignoring the severe symptom
Colorectal cancer is the leading cause of death in the United States. Is the third most common cancer diagnosed in and the third leading cause of cancer death in American men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. More adults are being diagnosed in their 20s and 30s, according to a recent study. While experts are unclear as to the cause of the increase in cases, they want young adults to be aware of the symptoms of breast cancer:
- Rectal bleeding
- Iron-deficiency anemia
- Abdominal pain
- Narrow stool
- An unproductive urge to have bowel movements
- Vague weight loss
White noticed that he sometimes experienced bloody stools during his college days, but he didn’t worry much.
“I was basically invincible. I never went to the doctor. For me, to solve something on my own after something happens, I didn’t think much of it, “he said.” I never thought I needed to tell anyone about this. “
After college he found that exercise soon seemed challenging.
“I’ve always been in good shape,” White said. “I could play pick-up basketball with my friends, maybe for a play or two, and then I would be completely out of breath for the air. I could barely run.”
He wondered if he was just out of shape, but thought maybe he had asthma. He then contracted what felt like a strap throat and was in the emergency room taking care of it when doctors took an unusual blood job.
“They realized my blood counts were off and they even gave me a stool sample.” “Even though I was very tired, I could not tell the two of them that there was blood in my stool. I don’t know if I ever brought it to my doctor. “
White surgery and six months of chemotherapy with no evidence of disease. Immediately after his apparent diagnosis, he asked about 50 people to join him, and he raised money for colorectal cancer by selling T-shirts. After the success of the first bar crawl, he started making a second plan in the hope of raising the raised 500 last year.
“I will always do what I can to fight this disease,” he said. “The second week after I announced it, I found out that my cancer was back. It was one of those stories that you can’t tell. Time was crazy. “
Stage 4 cancer, COVID-19 and a happy future
The scan revealed that White had cancer in his lungs. When the 20,000 were raised by twelve crawls, the resurgence of cancer meant that White was given indefinite chemotherapy treatment to further spread the cancer. In November 2019, he underwent surgery to remove some cancers, but three months later, doctors noticed he had grown again.
“They were definitely concerned about how quickly it was portrayed. But everything has stabilized since I was on chemo again, ”he said. “That’s a positive sign.”
In early July, White suffered another setback as he was diagnosed with Covid-19. Even when he was as calm as possible, he tested positive with his parents and his girlfriend, Katie Briggs.
“It was mild but it delayed some of my scans for a while,” he said.
Still, life after college is not what she hoped for, White remains positive. He recently asked Briggs – who he met two days before starting chemotherapy – to marry him and he said yes.
“Just because I have cancer doesn’t mean I can’t do big things or live my life,” he said. “I don’t know where I would be … I don’t have anyone to help me with the stuff.”
There is conflict at the moment, but White now appreciates the little things in life.
“Without a doubt, it’s been a roller coaster,” he said. “When it comes to cancer it gives you a whole new perspective on life, especially when they tell you it has spread to your lungs. I focus on enjoying my time with the people around me and living every day. This is something I have never done before. “
