Tara Anderson was 38 years old when she went to the emergency room in May 2015. Along with blood clots in her left kidney and left ovary, Tara was told she had a tennis ball-sized tumor in her colon. “I had heard many times how cancer doesn’t discriminate, but never in a million years did I think I would one day be diagnosed.”
On June 1, 2015, she received the news that she had stage I colon cancer. Laparoscopic surgery would soon follow, and Tara was sent home to recover. “I went home with a smile on my face, happy to be alive, and making a promise to myself to forever enjoy life.”
Though still being treated for blood clots, Tara is currently being monitored with blood work and scans every 3 months. Her CEA levels remain low, and as of her last scan, she has been given the all clear with no evidence of disease.
“I am a mommy, daughter, wife, sister, niece, aunt, friend, and now I’m a colon cancer survivor.” And knowing that colon cancer is largely preventable, Tara is out to raise awareness, encourage people to listen to their bodies, get screened, and be one more example that this disease can happen to young people.
Despite torrential rain from Hurricane Joaquin threatening to disrupt events, Tara came out to participate in the Get Your Rear in Gear – National Capital this past October.
