In the summer of 1996, my mom and dad boarded a plane to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to get an experimental treatment for the colon cancer that had spread through my dad’s body.

He received a series of custom-made vaccines to help his body’s cells fight the cancer. This type of  treatment is called immunotherapy and is now regularly used for various cancers. While it didn’t cure his cancer, he did live 2 and a half more years, rather than the 4-6 month diagnosis he was initially given. 

Colorectal cancer is any cancer that originates in the colon and/or rectal area of the body. According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, it is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer after breast and lung cancer. Since my dad’s initial cancer diagnosis over 30 years ago, progress has been made in early detection and prognoses with the mortality rate of colorectal cancer going down 39.8% for men and 38.8% for women.

Common risk factors for colorectal cancer include a family history of colorectal cancer or polyps, personal history of colorectal diseases, obesity, smoking, and having 3 or more alcoholic drinks a day. The best method of prevention and effective treatment is early detection.
If you are 45 years or older, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a colorectal cancer screening every 5 years.

If you have a family history of colorectal cancer you may need to start regular screening at a younger age. My dad was 31 years old when he was initially diagnosed, so cancer can strike at any age. Talk with your loved ones about the history of cancer in your family and follow up with your doctor to see if you should start getting regular screenings sooner.

More information about colorectal cancer and other cancers can be found at the following:

Through my dad’s journey with cancer, you can see how cancer treatments have progressed and improved overtime. Doctors and researchers are continually working on better treatments and prevention methods. There is always room for innovation and hope.

In memory of Chip Childress (1962-1998) and those who have been impacted by cancer.