“The first words that came out of my mouth were, ‘But I ‘m only 27.’ I couldn’t say much because I was in shock.”
Betancourt, upon hearing her diagnosis. https://www.self.com/story/young-women-living-with-colon-cancer
- Rates of colorectal cancers are increasing among millennials
- Both Rosen and Betancourt needed to have treatment right away and have surgery to remove the tumor (or in Rosen’s case, her entire colon had to be removed as she has Crohn’s disease which means her colon is at risk of developing cancer again)
- Side effects and changes from treatments and cancer:
- Betancourt: Ileostomy and losing hair as side effects made her feel like she was losing her identity and worth
- Betancourt also needed a hip replacement after a chemo drug damaged her hip
- Rosen: treatments impacted her fertility and a routine colonoscopy caused her to have to remove her rectum and anus
- Challenges with body image, confidence and dating
This is not just an old person’s disease.
Betancourt, https://www.self.com/story/young-women-living-with-colon-cancer
- Reflections/thoughts:
- Important to have young patient voices and advocacy to dispel the myth that cancer is an ‘old people disease’
- Jain also discussed this in Malignant: Lack of patient education is a big problem that affects young adult survival
- Illuminating side effects and changes due to cancer that is not often spoken about, especially for a cancer like colon cancer where people don’t want to speak about (or hear about) bowel movements or organs related to them
- Permanently disfiguring for both Rosen and Betancourt
- Important to have young patient voices and advocacy to dispel the myth that cancer is an ‘old people disease’
