Some facts as I prepare for Sacramento

KathiM
KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I am honored to be representing ACS by going to Sacramento (California state capitol) to talk about a bill pending for providing for under- and un-insured people to get colorectal screenings done. WOW...got my packet today and was I surprised!!!

-If this cancer is caught BEFORE is spreads, the 5-year survival rate is 90%.
-Of the over 5,000 Californians that are expected to die of colorectal cancer in 2006, HALF could be saved if they were tested.
-The survival rate for colorectal cancer is lower than for breast and prostate cancer BECAUSE SCREENING RATES ARE MUCH LOWER.

These things probably aren't new to most of you....but WHAT an education I'M getting!

(ok, I WILL go to my colonoscopy in April, after all).

HUGS AND HUGS AND HUGS to all of you!!!!
Kathi
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Comments

  • Moesimo
    Moesimo Member Posts: 1,072 Member
    #2
    You go girl!!!!

    Sincer there are so many of us that were diagnosed younger than 50, maybe you can rally for screenings younger than 50. That is a goal of mine. I tell lots of people not to wait until 50. But then the insurance co. doesn't want to pay.

    Good luck
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #3
    Moesimo said:

    You go girl!!!!

    Sincer there are so many of us that were diagnosed younger than 50, maybe you can rally for screenings younger than 50. That is a goal of mine. I tell lots of people not to wait until 50. But then the insurance co. doesn't want to pay.

    Good luck

    Already on my list, my girl! THAT is something that as long as I have their ear.....I was dx at 49, had I waited till 50, I'd be pushin up daisies!
    Hugs,
    Kathi
  • Lisa Rose
    Lisa Rose Member Posts: 598 Member
    #4
    Hi Kathi,

    As I was reading your post I thought it would be interesting to see how old everyone was when diagnosed.

    I was dx at 40.

    Good Luck,
    Lisa Rose
  • kerry
    kerry Member Posts: 1,313 Member
    #5
    Lisa Rose said:

    Hi Kathi,

    As I was reading your post I thought it would be interesting to see how old everyone was when diagnosed.

    I was dx at 40.

    Good Luck,
    Lisa Rose

    Good idea Lisa....I was diagnosed at 50. But doctor said it had been growing for approx. 10 years.

    Kerry
  • scouty
    scouty Member Posts: 1,965 Member
    #6
    I was 49 and mine too had been there many years......the silly fecal popsiscle test (waste of time) missed it a couple of times.

    Lisa P.
  • JADot
    JADot Member Posts: 709 Member
    #7
    Kathi:

    You rock! Thanks for taking the time to be an advocate. I strongly second all that's been said about early screening. I was diagnosed at 39 and docs said it'd been there for 2-3 years.

    You go - best of luck to you on your trip!

    Cheers,
    JADot
  • rthornton
    rthornton Member Posts: 346 Member
    #8
    KathiM said:

    Already on my list, my girl! THAT is something that as long as I have their ear.....I was dx at 49, had I waited till 50, I'd be pushin up daisies!
    Hugs,
    Kathi

    I was diagnosed at 35. If I had waited until 37 or 38, I'd also be pushing daisies.

    Rodney
  • lfondots63
    lfondots63 Member Posts: 818 Member
    #9
    Hi Kathi!

    You rock!! You will need to tell us how the trip goes. I was dx at 42 but I am sure it was growing for a while since I had been sick for a while. Just thought it was IBS. DUH. If I had waited I would have been the same as all. My colon was almost blocked by the tumor.

    Lisa
  • debralla
    debralla Member Posts: 203 Member
    #10
    lfondots63 said:

    Hi Kathi!

    You rock!! You will need to tell us how the trip goes. I was dx at 42 but I am sure it was growing for a while since I had been sick for a while. Just thought it was IBS. DUH. If I had waited I would have been the same as all. My colon was almost blocked by the tumor.

    Lisa

    Kathi
    I was diagnosed at 45 four months ago . celebrated my 46th while getting my second treatment . I am stage 4 (liver mets) Dr said mine was around for awhile as well .
    TAKE CARE AND GOD BLESS
    DEBRA
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #11
    Moesimo said:

    You go girl!!!!

    Sincer there are so many of us that were diagnosed younger than 50, maybe you can rally for screenings younger than 50. That is a goal of mine. I tell lots of people not to wait until 50. But then the insurance co. doesn't want to pay.

    Good luck

    I second that, third that, and even fourth that! I'd also like to ask that if you are at risk, i.e., family member had disease, screen at least in your thirties. Bert's dad died of the disease at 57, Bert got it under 50, and our son Mike was told by his doctor, one of those rare ones that truly fights for his patients, next year he will be screened...no if's, and's, or butt's (little humor here) about it. Mike is 29!!!

    My opinion, the earlier, the better.

    Monika
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #12
    Lisa Rose said:

    Hi Kathi,

    As I was reading your post I thought it would be interesting to see how old everyone was when diagnosed.

    I was dx at 40.

    Good Luck,
    Lisa Rose

    Good idea Lisa. I guess I fit the profile in that I was diagnosed at 55. And it had been there "a while" - whatever that means. My oncologist told me that the standard (and we know standards aren't that great) is that my kids and my brother's kids should get a first colonsocopy no later than ten years prior to my age at diagnosis - in other words 45. And I think they should all have them before age 40.

    Betsy
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #13
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • charelaine
    charelaine Member Posts: 36
    #14
    I was 29 when dx w/stage III. Been there 2-3 years, best guess, and was completely obstructing by the time I went to the ER.
  • HowardJ
    HowardJ Member Posts: 474
    #15
    Wouldn't it be great if life was like the TV commercial being run about how excited people are to get screened for CRC.

    Spread the word!
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #16
    HowardJ said:

    Wouldn't it be great if life was like the TV commercial being run about how excited people are to get screened for CRC.

    Spread the word!

    Well done Kathi....takes a lot of courage to get deeply involved in advocation for the needs of "the many".No matter how loud we shout there is always someone with a reason to try and fob off the urgency of health issues. The trouble is...firstly $$$$ are involved.....secondly...those against these positive legislations probably think they are immune to cancer!
    Howard....yah forgot something mate...your age!Hey mate....do you know we just found out all tha gals ages here?.......he!he! ooops...sorry Kathi and gals.
    ............kanga just fell "over tha hill"....downward slide now....I'm 50!
  • livin
    livin Member Posts: 318 Member
    #17
    Hi Kathi, Iam like many other dx at age 46 years old but was told could have had it as far back as 10 years earlier. Had a bout with breast cancer first at 44 y/o then had a metast. to the liver at 49 which was also said to had probably been there really at age 48 y/o because the cat showed a vague area on my liver then but never had follow up treatment. until a pain ful stomach ache one day at 49 y/o.
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #18
    Would you guys mind, if I get a chance while I'm there, to show these legislators this thread? Please let me know if you Do Not want me to, you can e-mail my CSN mail....I don't want to step on toes, but this may be a way of REALLY letting them know what is what.
    Hugs,
    Kathi
  • JKendall
    JKendall Member Posts: 186
    #19
    KathiM said:

    Would you guys mind, if I get a chance while I'm there, to show these legislators this thread? Please let me know if you Do Not want me to, you can e-mail my CSN mail....I don't want to step on toes, but this may be a way of REALLY letting them know what is what.
    Hugs,
    Kathi

    Kathi...I'm not shy about it, and I know Jerri won't mind, she gets on the soapbox every chance she gets!

    Jerri was 47 at diagnosis (Stage IV) with no family history and had probably been carrying it for at least 2-3 years before that. She's now going through a second round of chemo after almost a year of NED (Mets to liver, spleen and abdominal cavity). We're VERY scared, and it could have been caught earlier with a simple colonoscopy if any one of the three or four doctors she saw in the preceding years could have pieced those quietly progressive symptoms together.

    This disease kills way too many people, and leaves open wounds in the hearts of those who love them and care for them. Someone has GOT TO LISTEN!!!

    Thanks for carrying the torch for us.

    Jimmy
  • kangatoo
    kangatoo Member Posts: 2,105 Member
    #20
    JKendall said:

    Kathi...I'm not shy about it, and I know Jerri won't mind, she gets on the soapbox every chance she gets!

    Jerri was 47 at diagnosis (Stage IV) with no family history and had probably been carrying it for at least 2-3 years before that. She's now going through a second round of chemo after almost a year of NED (Mets to liver, spleen and abdominal cavity). We're VERY scared, and it could have been caught earlier with a simple colonoscopy if any one of the three or four doctors she saw in the preceding years could have pieced those quietly progressive symptoms together.

    This disease kills way too many people, and leaves open wounds in the hearts of those who love them and care for them. Someone has GOT TO LISTEN!!!

    Thanks for carrying the torch for us.

    Jimmy

    Kathi...fine by me...we need to get some of our politicians and people who have an influence on legislation to realise that..."IT COULD BE THEM!"
    Sorry for shouting at yah.....but when will the they understand?
    Btw....I was dx'd in 1997 with haemarroids...the specialist only looked as far as he could go with a sigmoidoscope. If he had ordered a colonoscopy my cancer would have been found back then.I was told in 2003 when the final dx for cancer was decided on that I almost certainly had cancer in 97!
  • goldfinch
    goldfinch Member Posts: 735
    #21
    I was 46 years old, no family history.
    Mary

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