How cancer — and remission — changed two women’s outlooks on life.
If you survived a potentially terminal disease, what would you do? For Yla Flores, the answer was simple: “I’m turning 59 this year, but since surviving cancer, I’m living like I’m 22.”
In 2020, Flores’s doctor let her know she was overdue for her first colonoscopy. While the American Cancer Society suggests that people at average risk for colorectal cancer should get their first colonoscopy at age 45, Flores had been avoiding the procedure. “I was afraid of being put under anesthesia,” says Flores. “And I’m a single working woman. I kept pushing it off because I didn’t think it was urgent.” After hearing Flores’ concerns, her doctor suggested she use the Cologuard® test — a use-at-home colon cancer screening test for adults 45 and older at average risk. As of this year, the Cologuard test has been trusted by patients and physicians for a decade. “I just followed the instructions, dropped it at UPS, and forgot about it,” she says.
Four days later, Flores got a call from her physician: Her Cologuard result indicated she would need further testing. She got additional results, and they were alarming: “I went in for a colonoscopy, and learned I had stage 3 colon cancer,” says Flores. “I’d never had any symptoms, but there was an 11-inch tumor in my colon.” A week later, Flores had surgery and then underwent six months of chemotherapy. After completing treatment, she was declared NED (no evidence of disease), meaning she was in complete remission.
Fellow colorectal cancer survivor Katie Hawbaker was 47 when she first took the Cologuard screening test. “My husband had done it,” she says, “and it was so easy … but when I found out my sample had been flagged, I was shocked.”
After receiving her Cologuard result, Hawbaker got a colonoscopy and learned she had stage 2 colon cancer. The cancer hadn’t spread to any other organs, but doctors had to remove part of her colon. “I had no symptoms, and no family history of cancer,” says Hawbaker, “so this wasn’t even on my radar. If I’d waited until I was 50 to get screened, who knows what might have happened.” After her surgery, Hawbaker was also declared NED.
Hawbaker says her diagnosis motivated her to convince friends to act quickly: “I have two friends who were both recently diagnosed with colon cancer, and they say they got screened because they saw what happened to me,” says Hawbaker. “So many of us put off screenings thinking they’re not a big deal. But they are a big deal, and I’m evidence of that.”
Flores says surviving cancer has given her a renewed appreciation for life. “It’s the little things,” she says. “My friends recently took me to a New Kids On The Block concert, and I acted like a teenager and didn’t care what anyone thought.” She’s grateful for the big things, too: “I just got to see my nephew graduate and get his first job. I’ve gotten to travel and explore the world. These are things I might have missed if I hadn’t gotten screened when I did.”
The diagnosis reminded Hawbaker of the importance of family: “My mom is 84, and she’s losing her memory,” she says. “This summer I was finally given the go-ahead to travel to see her.” Hawbaker left her home in Tucson, Ariz., to spend a week with her mother and brother in Madison, Wis. “My mom is at a point where she still remembers who my brother and I are, and she was so grateful to spend time with us. Her memory loss is progressing, and you never know what the next year will be like, so getting to spend that time with her was so special.”
Hawbaker’s diagnosis has also shifted her perspective on life’s big milestones: “I’m turning 50 next year, something I would have dreaded a few years ago. Now, I see it as a positive — a goal I’ve reached.” Like Hawbaker, the Cologuard test is also approaching a major milestone: This year marks the test’s 10th anniversary. In just 10 short years, the Cologuard test has been used to screen for colon cancer more than 16M times. In the past decade of screening with the Cologuard test, estimates show that more than 34,000 deaths may have been averted from early cancer and precancer detection. That’s more than 340,000 chances to celebrate a survivor’s birthday — nearly 125 million chances to watch a sunrise. Particularly during the pandemic, when non-urgent medical screenings were put on hold, the Cologuard test was an easy and effective option that saved many from foregoing colon cancer screening altogether.
“I don’t know where I’d be today if I hadn’t taken that Cologuard test,” says Flores. “I’ll never forget the day I was diagnosed — March 19, 2020. The world had just started falling apart, and if I’d waited any longer, I wouldn’t have been able to go in for a colonoscopy. That test changed my life.”
Both Hawbaker and Flores have approached their diagnoses and recovery with a positive attitude, but they haven’t forgotten the trauma of surviving cancer. “I’ve got emotional scars, but I’ve also got physical scars,” says Flores. “I may feel 22, but my body went through something traumatic. I’ve got scars from surgery, and just last month I finally had my port removed. But I wear that scar like a badge of honor — it reminds me I’m still here, I’m still breathing, and I still have purpose.”
Each story reflects an individual’s experience. Not every person will have the same treatment, experience, outcome, or result. The Cologuard test is prescribed by your health care provider. Talk to your health care provider about available screening options and whether the Cologuard test may be right for you. There are potential risks associated with the Cologuard test and it may not be appropriate for all patients. For more information about the risks, talk to your health care provider or visit cologuard.com for more information. The Cologuard test is intended to screen adults 45 years of age and older who are at average risk for colorectal cancer by detecting certain DNA markers and blood in the stool. Do not use if you have had adenomas, have inflammatory bowel disease and certain hereditary syndromes, or a personal or family history of colorectal cancer. A Cologuard test is not a replacement for colonoscopy in high-risk patients. Cologuard test performance in adults ages 45-49 is estimated based on a large clinical study of patients 50 and older.
The Cologuard test result should be interpreted with caution. A positive test result does not confirm the presence of cancer. Patients with a positive test result should be referred for colonoscopy. A negative test result does not confirm the absence of cancer. Patients with a negative test result should discuss with their doctor when they need to be tested again. False positives and false negative results can occur. In a clinical study, 13% of people without cancer received a positive result (false positive) and 8% of people with cancer received a negative result (false negative). Rx only.
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