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A 32-year-old woman with intense nausea was told she was ‘too young’ for colon cancer. She was diagnosed at stage 3.
Yahoo • • health
Key Points:
- Azucena "Suzy" Reyes, diagnosed with stage 3B colon cancer at age 32, experienced months of misdiagnoses and dismissals due to her age and ethnicity before emergency surgery revealed a tumor obstructing her large intestine.
- Initially told she was too young and Hispanic populations rarely get colon cancer, Reyes underwent 12 rounds of chemotherapy and faced significant side effects, yet kept her diagnosis private to protect her family.
- After over a decade cancer-free, Reyes continues to manage lasting side effects and actively advocates for colon cancer awareness, particularly within Spanish-speaking communities.
- Reyes' experience inspired her brother to get screened early, leading to his own colon cancer diagnosis and successful treatment, highlighting the importance of early detection regardless of age.
- She now participates in advocacy groups like the Colorectal Cancer Alliance's Never Too Young Taskforce, aiming to provide support and guidance she found lacking during her own journey.
