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Thousands of people develop IBD-related cancer each year.

Many can be treated.

For others, it's too late.

These are some of their stories.

SURVIVORS

Sheila Ladow almost skipped her colonoscopy in 2019. When she went in, they found stage III cancer. She is grateful to be alive and to have been cured of colitis by her colectomy. "I am living proof that getting screened can save your life," she says.

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Read Sheila's story

Scott Bernstein was more alarmed by his worsening IBD symptoms than his doctor was. Scott insisted on getting an extra colonoscopy. This seemingly small act of self-advocacy saved his life: his bowel was almost completely obstructed by a stage III tumor.

Read Scott's story

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More Survivors

Bloody stool was nothing new for Greg. He was in unusual pain, but he took it as a good sign that he seemed to be going to the bathroom less. It turned out to be because a foot long tumor had obstructed his bowel.

A previously undetected cancer was found in Kristen's colon when she had a colitis-related colectomy at 21 years old. Her cancer treatment got her the college nickname "Chemo Girl." It also inspired her to become a nurse.

Paula had insurance as a student that paid for surveillance colonoscopies, but it ran out after college graduation. She was diagnosed with cancer a few months later, requiring her parents to spend virtually all their savings on her treatment.

IN MEMORIAM

Read Nicole's story

Nicole Obenski was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at the age of 19. She had been living with her disease for 15 years, never in full remission, when she was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer when she was 33. She died at age 35 in 2019.

Tony Snow, a popular radio and television commentator who served as White House Press Secretary, lost his mother to colon cancer when he was still in high school. Like her, he had IBD. Colon cancer took his life at age 52.

Read Tony's story

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More Memorials

When Russell told his fiancee about his ulcerative colitis, he promised he would get annual colonoscopies. With his disease relatively under control, however, he didn't follow through. He died two weeks before his tenth wedding anniversary at age 36.

Ryan's doctors missed the symptoms. Perhaps it was because he was only 23. But with ten years of ulcerative colitis and a family history of colon cancer, he was at much higher risk than anyone seemed to understand. He died 13 days after being diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer.

Courtney was a writer who movingly chronicled her experience with Crohn's and cancer. "I met my life dream when I became a wife and a mother... No one will ever be able to say she gave up. I've fought to the last second. I just hope to leave little nuggets of me somewhere."

Dane had Crohns and colitis. His cancer symptoms came on suddenly. When he died 9 months later, he had just marked his 39th birthday. He missed the birth of a his third child by only a few days.

Amy was diagnosed with IBD at age 11. She had bad memories of being poked and prodded as a child, leading her to grow fearful of hospitals and colonoscopies. As an adult, she stopped having checkups, something she would later describe as her biggest regret.

Jason's cancer was detected at stage II, but it was a large tumor that had wrapped around a blood vessel, preventing its complete removal. The cancer progressed, taking his life 18 months later.

Jen's obituary notes that she "grew up believing she was the secret lovechild of Liberace and Cher and had been born a fabulous gay man in another life." She was determined not to let IBD or even terminal illness slow her roll during her 39 years. "Life is meant to be lived fiercely. And lived out loud," she would say. "Cancer be damned."

Lara was aware her ulcerative colitis, diagnosed at age 12, put her at increased risk for colon cancer. But she never thought it might strike her at the age of 28.

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