I lost my dad to colon cancer over 20 years ago, but no matter how long it’s been, you never stop needing your parents and learning lessons from them.

It wasn’t just colon cancer that killed my dad—it was his fear of doctors and his “tough it out” mentality that meant he refused preventative screenings and didn’t talk to his doctor about his symptoms until he was too sick.

Colon cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., but has a 91 percent five-year survival rate when caught early. Many view traditional screening options as uncomfortable or invasive, which leads far too many people, like my dad, to put them off year after year.

I’m encouraged to see new innovations in screening options that can help close these gaps. Though colonoscopies are still the gold standard for screening, tests like Shield, the first FDA-approved blood-based test for colorectal cancer, only require a quick blood draw.

For someone like my dad, who was too nervous to speak with a physician and get a colonoscopy, a noninvasive early screening option like this could’ve saved his life. Screening could also save yours, or the life of someone you love.

At the end of the day, the best screening is the one that you do. It could save your life. So don’t wait. 

Stephen Brown
Feasterville, PA