Diagnosed at 44, colon cancer survivor turns fight into warning for younger adults
When Sheryl Levy collapsed in her home with excruciating abdominal pain, she believed she was suffering from a severe infection. She was 44 years old, physically active and far younger than the age most people associate with colon cancer.
The next day a colonoscopy revealed devastating news: Stage IV colorectal cancer that had already spread to her liver.
“I was stunned,” Levy said. “All I could think was, ‘I’m 44. This is for people in their 50s and older.’”
Levy’s diagnosis in 2013 came after months of warning signs — persistent pain, fatigue and rectal bleeding — that were initially dismissed by her primary physician as minor or unrelated. By the time doctors identified the cancer, it was advanced and aggressive.
Her experience is increasingly common.
Colorectal cancer rates are rising sharply among Americans under 50, even as cases decline in older adults, according to the American Cancer Society’s 2026 Colorectal Cancer Statistics report. Nearly three out of four patients diagnosed before age 50 are now found at advanced stages, when treatment is more difficult and survival rates are lower.
For Levy, the diagnosis marked the beginning of a five‑year medical battle that included multiple colon surgeries, a liver resection, chemotherapy, radiation and the placement of a permanent colostomy bag. Her cancer recurred several times between 2013 and 2017 before doctors were finally able to remove all detectable disease.
Her final chemotherapy treatment ended in May 2018. Today, she is cancer‑free.
“I never thought about giving up,” Levy said. “I just knew I had to make it.”
Levy’s doctor said her outcome, while remarkable, underscores both the dangers of delayed detection and the power of aggressive treatment.
“Stage IV colon cancer is typically not considered curable,” said Dr. Dean Tsarwhas, an oncologist with Northwestern Medicine. “But in some cases, with the right combination of chemotherapy, surgery, persistence and a bit of luck, long‑term remission — even cure — is possible.”
Tsarwhas said Levy’s case illustrates why earlier screening is critical, especially as colorectal cancer increasingly strikes younger patients. In response to the trend, national screening guidelines were lowered in recent years from age 50 to 45 for people at average risk.
“If you remove a precancerous polyp, you prevent cancer altogether,” Tsarwhas said. “A colonoscopy is both a screening and a prevention tool.”
Yet many younger adults delay testing due to fear, inconvenience or the belief that symptoms are harmless.
Levy said she now urges people to trust their instincts and persist when something feels wrong.
“Rectal bleeding is not something you ignore,” she said. “Neither is a change in bowel habits, ongoing pain or extreme fatigue. You know your body. Someone needs to listen.”
Her message became even more urgent when her younger sister, prompted by Levy’s diagnosis, underwent early screening. Doctors found eight polyps — five of them precancerous.
“She told me, ‘You saved my life,’” Levy said.
Levy’s father was later diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer while she was still undergoing treatment. The two received chemotherapy at the same time, offering each other emotional support during a period she describes as both painful and profoundly bonding.
Survival, Levy said, has permanently changed how she lives. She avoids red meat and processed foods, maintains a strict exercise routine and closely monitors her health. But the mental impact, she said, has been just as significant.
“When I see younger people dying from this disease, I stop and think, ‘Why am I still here?’” she said. “Maybe it’s to make people aware.”
She now shares her story through community outreach and church ministry work, urging people of all ages to take symptoms seriously and pursue screening when appropriate — especially those with family histories of cancer.
Public‑health experts agree that awareness is essential while researchers work to understand what is driving the rise in early‑onset colorectal cancer. Suspected factors include obesity, diet, metabolic disorders, changes in gut bacteria and environmental exposures, though no single cause has been identified.
In the meantime, doctors emphasize that early detection saves lives.
“People are afraid to talk about bowel habits,” Tsarwhas said. “But doctors have these conversations every day. Avoiding them can be deadly.”
Levy said if her story persuades even one person to seek care sooner, it is worth reliving the trauma.
“Say something,” she said. “Stick up for yourself. Colonoscopies aren’t that bad — I’ve had dozens. What’s bad is waiting too long.”
Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
