When Brooks Bell was 38, colon cancer was the furthest thing from her mind — until, suddenly, it wasn't. A colonoscopy found her stage three colon cancer and set her on a difficult journey to reclaim her health. Now, she's started an organization to raise awareness about colon cancer and help others prevent it.
In recent years, colon cancer rates have been rising in young people. Doctors aren't exactly sure why, though theories about diet and environmental factors are being investigated. According to a new report from the American Cancer Society, colon cancer is now the leading cause of cancer death in men under 50 and second only to breast cancer in women.
To be clear, the risk of cancer when you're young is still pretty low. People aged 20 to 39 account for just 5% of cancer cases each year. But if you, like Brooks or myself, happen to be part of that 5%, that statistic is cold comfort. It can happen to you at any age, so it's crucial to know what signs and symptoms to look out for and how to advocate for your health.
This Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, I talked with Brooks about what led to her diagnosis, the simple steps you can take toward preventing colon cancer for yourself, and how she joined forces with Ryan Reynolds to help raise awareness. Here's what we talked about:
Brooks told BuzzFeed that her cancer journey began when she noticed blood in her stool. Bloody stool is a common symptom of colon cancer. Others include changes in bowel habits; losing weight without trying; consistent discomfort in the lower abdomen; feeling like you're not able to fully empty when pooping; and fatigue.
Brooks says, "I called the doctor and she was like, 'Oh, it's just hemorrhoids. Everyone gets them, you're fine.' And so I was relieved and took her word for it." But when a few weeks passed and the problem didn't resolve, Brooks sought a second, and then a third, opinion.
She saw a gastroenterologist who scheduled her for a colonoscopy just a few days later. After the procedure, Brooks says, "I woke up and sure enough, it was a two-and-a-half centimeter tumor that was causing all the blood. And I actually learned that it was stage three."
Before talking with Brooks, all I knew about colonoscopies re that they put a camera in your butt and look around. I thought that a colonoscopy was just a diagnostic tool, like the mammogram that detected my breast cancer. But Brooks explained that they can actually prevent colon cancer from developing in the first place.
Brooks explained that during a colonoscopy, doctors are looking for and then remove polyps in your colon. A polyp is a growth of cells in the lining of the colon. Polyps are very common. In fact, they're found in more than a quarter of colonoscopies performed in the US. Many are benign, but some can go on to develop into cancer.
During a colonoscopy, Brooks explains, "Basically, you can snip out these polyps and then you can't get colon cancer until you get another polyp, and they take a long time to grow... That's the moment of prevention — when they snip out your polyps."
So why don't we hear more about this potentially life-saving procedure? According to Brooks, colon cancer has a marketing problem. "We need to shift that when it comes to colon cancer, because it is preventable and there's something that people can do, and it's empowering."
So Brooks started Lead from Behind powered by the Colorectal Cancer Alliance to raise awareness about colon cancer and encourage people to get colonoscopies as soon as they're eligible. Screening guidelines generally recommend getting a colonoscopy at 45, but depending on your family history and other health conditions, your doctor might recommend getting one sooner.
Brooks mentioned that she's working on another project to be announced later this year that will raise money to help even more people access this important preventative care.
She didn't stop there. Brooks recalls, "And I thought, we need to have a celebrity who gets a colonoscopy, because they're smart, and they're awesome and someone we look up to, to show that this is nothing to be embarrassed or afraid of."
So Brooks contacted Ryan Reynolds' team and he came on board. In September 2022, Ryan shared a video of himself and his good bro Rob McElhenney getting colonoscopies on YouTube. Brooks says, "It led to a 36% increase in colonoscopy appointments over the next few months, and we think that translates to 1,000 people not getting colon cancer."
View this video on YouTube
Still feeling nervous about the idea of a colonoscopy? Brooks says she likes to think of a colonoscopy as "a fast, a cleanse, and a nap." The day before, she explained, you can have clear liquids and gummies (as long as they aren't red or purple). Then, in the evening, you take your prep, which Brooks says has come a long way from what it used to be.
"It is no longer your grandfather's colonoscopy anymore. You don't have those huge jugs. They're not bad and you don't have to drink as much of it — they even have pills. So the prep itself is no longer a disgusting, nauseating thing."
Next, she says you'll want to hang out near your toilet as your bowels clear out. "My fear was that it was going to be, like, explosive shit-on-the-walls diarrhea, and it's not that way at all. It's calm. And then you go to bed and you do the same thing in the morning."
Finally, you go in for the procedure where you'll be sedated (your doctor will discuss options with you) for the duration. "It is like the best nap you have ever had," Brooks says. "You're only out for, like, 25 minutes. It's not like an operating room. It doesn't feel like scary like that. It is actually like a lovely restful experience." She honestly makes it sound like a spa day, and talking with Brooks made me want to schedule a cute colonoscopy date with my besties when the time comes.
