Colon can.cer survivors share how they ‘knew’ it was time to see a doctor

January 28, 2026 by youssef

Blood in the Stool or Toilet Bowl

Anatole Karpovs, a pediatrician diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer at 37, recalled months of symptoms before seeking help:

“I experienced bloody stools, bowel changes, and abdominal pains for months.

“But as a doctor with a busy practice and a hectic family life, I didn’t have time to be sick. So, I explained away my symptoms or minimised them. It was only later, when they became persistent enough that I couldn’t ignore them, that I finally sought treatment.”

Robert Harris, who was 76 when he received a stage III diagnosis, described a similar warning sign:

“I started having dark stools and a little pain in my lower abdomen, so I called my family doctor.

“She thought it might be my appendix, since the pain was on my right side, so she brought me in for a check-up. But then she did a digital exam and said there was blood in my stool.”

Unexplained Weight Loss

“Most people get a bit heavier over the holidays,” said Kenneth Rolston, who was 66 when he was diagnosed with stage I colorectal cancer.

Instead, by early 2017, Kenneth noticed that he had been losing weight steadily for about four months—without any effort to do so.

“I was also experiencing fatigue,” Kenneth added.

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