Eric’s Story
In 2022, I was 41 years old, working and raising a young family with my wife, Jasmine. My son was 8, my daughter 5. We were a happy, healthy family, making travel plans for the summer like everyone else. That spring, I began having symptoms of a gastrointestinal problem and paid for a private virtual colonoscopy.
I was stunned to learn I had stage 3b colon cancer, but the medical system moved quickly and I had a successful laparoscopic surgery in June 2022 to remove the tumour. In December 2022, with four rounds of adjuvant chemotherapy complete, I had a followup CT scan. I remember wearing a tacky Christmas sweater when my wife and I met with the oncologist to hear the good news: the scan showed no sign of cancer! I rang the bell and celebrated the holiday season knowing that I had a good chance of leaving cancer behind me for good.
In January 2023, I resumed life as normal. With another clear scan in June, I felt good about my chances of staying healthy. We spent the summer camping and went to Disneyland. I had the shadow of my cancer experience hanging over me but felt optimistic as I gradually thought less and less about cancer.
Of course, as all survivors know, cancer doesn’t fight fair. As much as I thought I was done with cancer, a CT scan in December 2023 showed that I had progressed to stage 4, despite having no symptoms. I had a 1 cm lesion deep in my liver, as well as three affected lymph nodes in the area. To say my family was devastated would be an understatement.
After a week of uncertainty, we found out that I was eligible for curative surgery. It would be a significant procedure that would remove half my liver, but it was the best hope for a cure. After a 77 day wait, I had surgery in February 2024. A few weeks later, we learned that there were “uncertain” margins. A CT scan a month later showed that while my liver is clear, there is now cancer in my retroperitoneal lymph nodes. I was put back on chemotherapy indefinitely. My family and I were overwhelmed and devastated by the continued bad news. It was hard to make sense of where I was compared to where I had been just a few months ago: disease-free and feeling healthy.
This was a very dark time, but after reaching out to other survivors and patient advocates, I realized that I still have hope. I am still alive, and for the sake of my family I have to put one foot in front of the other and do everything I can to fight this disease. Successful outcomes result from pushing for the best possible treatments, researching options, and never giving up hope for long-term survival. I have a good quality of life despite being on treatment, and like many stage 4 patients I am learning to live with the disease as I fight for long-term health.
Barry Stein’s survival story is a source of inspiration to me whenever I feel myself losing hope. The experienced team at Colorectal Cancer Canada provides invaluable advocacy for improved treatments across Canada, as well as support and advice for patients and families going through very difficult times. Do not hesitate to reach out to them if you or a loved one is battling this fearsome disease.
