Colon Cancer Patient Stories

Ray Beckler

In the summer of 1974, at the young age of 19, Ray Beckler developed severe hemorrhoids. His family doctor took one look and sent him to a surgeon. Four years post surgery Ray's symptoms remained.

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Beth Brendlinger

Metastatic Colon Cancer In November 1999, Beth Brendlinger, 52, followed doctor's orders and had her first colonoscopy. Beth learned she had a villous adenoma in situ (a precancerous lesion) which was surgically removed. Follow-up visits proved she was fine, so Beth went on with life as usual. Eight years later, in 2007, routine blood work revealed Beth's alkaline phosphatase (a liver enzyme) level was high. Through further testing, Beth learned she had a mass on the right lobe of her liver. Ironically, she had no symptoms and felt completely fine. A biopsy confirmed Beth's cancer originated in her colon and spread to her liver. Read more »

Connie Jackley

In 1995, Connie and Michael Jackley experienced life's greatest pain as they lost their only child, Rachel, 21, to cancer. Several years later, when Connie was diagnosed with cancer herself, she did not have the desire to fight. Thankfully, Dr. James Watson, a surgical oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center, entered the picture and inspired her to keep fighting when she felt like she had nothing left to give. He performed multiple surgeries on Connie over the years to keep her alive and well. Connie now considers Dr. Watson a friend.

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Deborah Lech

Colon

Debbie Lech had always considered herself healthy. She ate well and stayed active, and at 51 was enjoying newly married life with her second husband Claus. But following surgery a few years earlier for pelvic organ prolapse and unbeknownst to her, the surgical repair created a fistula that was slowly becoming infected. (A fistula is an abnormal connection or passageway between two epithelium-lined organs or vessels that normally do not connect.) “I had some spotting which was concerning since I had already undergone a hysterectomy, ” recalled Debbie. "My doctor suspected I had a vaginal infection, but we later learned, it was something more."

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Alan Stachura

Not many people can say they "grew up at Fox Chase," but Alan Stachura can. When he was only six years old, his brother David was seven and his younger sister Barbara was only one, his mother was diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. When she arrived at Fox Chase Cancer Center to meet with medical oncologist Paul F. Engstrom, MD, she learned that the disease had already spread to her bones. Alan's father accompanied his wife to her appointments with Dr. Engstrom. During one appointment, he mentioned a nagging pain in his back. Dr. Engstrom immediately ordered some tests. And that is when Alan's father was diagnosed with colon cancer.

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