Anita Mitchell Isler shares her incredible story of survival and advocacy through Stage 4 Colon Cancer. "In 2004 I was 40 years old. I was a busy PTA mom raising three very athletic children which kept me busy driving to and from soccer fields, swimming pools and baseball games.After noticing blood in my stool I went to my primary doctor with symptoms of colon cancer. I was told that I was too young for a colonoscopy and to not worry. Four months later when symptoms got worse, I knew this was not normal. I started looking up my symptoms in a medical encyclopedia. I then called my mother to ask about some family history. I did not grow up with my biological father and he died of cancer when I was 16. She told me that he had colon cancer. I was devastated. I immediately knew this was most likely colon cancer. The more I read the more I realized that I should have been screened in my 30s. I went back to the primary care and demanded a referral for a colonoscopy. I was not happy that she had not picked up on my symptoms or read my chart closer.It took a couple weeks to get in to the GI but once there he took it seriously and scheduled me for that week. I wok to be told I had a tumor in my colon and that I needed to find a surgeon to get it removed. My husband and I left the office in shock with no information except to find a surgeon. Our children were 9, 12, and 13 and we had no clue on how we were going to break the news.I immediately started searching for a good surgeon. The first surgeon sent me to imaging. The second surgical appointment the surgeon had the result of the scan and said, I am sorry to tell you this, but you are stage IV. The surgeon explained that I had tumors already in the liver and they were in each lobe. He then looked down. The next step was to send me for more imaging to see it had spread to my lungs, too.I remember laying on the machine; crying and thinking I could handle the liver but not a third place. My first bit of good news, it was not in my lungs yet. The surgeon was willing to squeeze me in, which meant an evening surgery on Valentines Day. I was warned if a transplant came in I would be delayed. That is exactly what happened and I had surgery the next day after waiting all evening prepped. I had a foot and half of my colon , one ovary and 16 lymph nodes removed along with a liver biopsy.I was in the hospital for days. The surgeon told my husband I had only 6 months to live if chemo didn’t work.The next step was to find an oncologist. It took me a few weeks to get in to see him, but it was worth the wait to find the right one for me, and I had to heal. I remember I did put off starting my chemo for one week because I had tickets to go to Utah with my daughter for her first club diving meet.I did chemotherapy every other week for 5 months and had great results. My liver lesions shrunk and I was sent to tumor board for a consult to see if I could have a liver resection and radio frequency ablation to kill the tumors they could not surgically remove. The treatment was not easy and took a toll on my body.I dropped down to a low weight of 105 pounds at 5’ 7" in height. I could wear my daughter’s jeans.I was determined, though, and feeling positive that I could beat cancer. I had to. I had three kids to raise.I got my liver surgery and after 14 days in hospital and recovery I returned to chemo for a another 3 months of treatment. I had clean scans after the surgery and finally we stopped treatment.We needed to closely monitor me with blood work and scans, There wasn’t any protocol for people like me. I had some bumps in the road with three tiny spots showing in my lungs in 2011. However, they have never grown. I feel amazingly blessed to be able to say I have been cancer free for years especially since when I was diagnosed I had a 5 chance of making it 5 years.I got very involved in advocacy during treatment. I found it shocking since I was the third parent at my children’s school under the age of 50 to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and people didn’t know the symptoms or in my case their family history. I just felt I couldn’t sit back and watch others get this mostly preventable cancer. I started a Dress in Blue Day which is now a national event. I testified for Bill 1 that passed in my state to make sure colonoscopies were covered. I received a award from Prevent Cancer Foundation for advocacy, Seattle Rotary for service beyond self isionary award from CCA, Blue Star award from NCCRT, and I have done numerous media interviews . I have been asked to sit on many committees and I have, lobbied in DC multiple time for cancer research money and patients rights.With the help of the Washington State Task force. I founded Washington Colon Cancer Stars. I run this 501c and help support newly diagnosed patients and educate the public about colorectal cancer screening. ... See MoreSee Less
March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month!Warren and his mom, June are a dynamic duo! They have Lynch Syndrome and are both living with metastatic colorectal cancer. They share the importance of genetic and biomarker testing.June is fighting rectal cancer. She has had chemotherapy and radiation; now receiving immunotherapy. Warren says she is his hero.Warren is 59 and battling stage4 colorectal cancer which has spread to his liver and peritoneumHe is currently receiving immunotherapy after all chemotherapy protocols have failed.Their motto:Our faith in God gets us through day by day, but we need a cure!"#marchiscolorectalcancerawarenessmonth #colorectalcancer#ifcancerspreads #MetastaticCRC #sayyestohope #lynchsyndrome #genetictesting #biomarkers #immunotherapy #chemotherapy #surgery#radiation #dMMR ... See MoreSee Less
