Shannon Willis passed away from complications due to colorectal cancer on August 30th 2021. She was 44 years old. Towards the end of 2019, my sister Shannon started experiencing pain…
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Faces of Blue is a storytelling series, focused on sharing the experiences of colorectal cancer survivors, patients, caregivers, and anyone impacted by colorectal cancer.
By publishing these accounts of courage, endurance, strength, and even humor, we hope to share a common experiences and provide encouragement for all affected by this disease.
New stories are published frequently throughout the year here on our website, and are posted to our social media pages, including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
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Note from the Colon Cancer Coalition: After more than 20 months bravely confronting stage IV colon cancer, Hari Gopalarathnam passed away in February 2023. He was 46 years old. With…
A couple of years ago, Desmond James was living a challenging but encouraging life as both a Janitor at an elementary school and caregiver to his grandmother and father (Desmond’s…
An advanced stage III colon cancer diagnosis was the last thing I expected to receive at 37-years-old. I was living the average life of a busy, overly committed mom-of-four and…
Laurie Koshers’ cancer diagnosis was a total shock. At 44, she was the picture of health; a lifelong vegetarian who often went for multi-mile runs. She never called in sick…
Jessica Catlin is not someone who shies away from the truth. When she was diagnosed with stage IIIb colorectal cancer in 2016 at the age of 39, she started keeping…
Fernanda Lopez Franco was just 23 years old when she started experiencing symptoms such as feeling fatigued, lower back pain, cramping and occasional signs of blood in stool. Understanding something…
When the pandemic drove us all home to work. I got cabin fever while sitting at home for over a year. I started having a little rectal bleeding that wasn’t…
Robert Stricklin lives in Charlotte, North Carolina, with his wife Ivy, two kids named Karter and Reagan, three dogs, and a cat. He works as a first aid and workplace…
Dormica Clagon James’ daughter Chantel (Telly) was her best friend. When Dormica got pregnant at 16, she didn’t know what to expect, or how her life would change. She had…
Archived Stories
Survivor Stories
Colon cancer patients and survivors share personal experiences about diagnosis, surgery, treatment, side effects and the many ways that cancer has changed their lives.
Survivor StoriesIn Loving Memory
Friends and family of those lost to colon cancer share a loved one’s story with us. Keeping their memories alive.
In Loving Memory Stories