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In June 2022, at the age of 41, Eric was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. This came as a shock to everybody. Eric had none of the risk factors and had only recently noticed symptoms. After emergency surgery and four rounds of chemotherapy, Eric had a clear CT scan in December 2022, just before Christmas. He was declared NED (no evidence of disease).

Eric and I were elated by this news and we spent the next year living life to its fullest. After another clear scan in June 2023, we spent the summer going on camping trips. We also took our children to Disneyland, replacing a trip we had canceled the previous year because of Eric’s treatments. 

In December 2023, at age 43, Eric had another CT scan. We felt confident this time, because Eric had already had two clear scans since treatment and he was feeling healthy. Unfortunately, the scan showed that Eric’s colon cancer had metastasized to his liver and lymph nodes. This was devastating news for our family because we thought we were in the clear from cancer. With the cancer having now spread to a distant organ, Eric is now stage 4. 

After a 77 day wait, Eric had major surgery On February 26th. They removed half of his liver, his gall bladder and some nearby lymph nodes. At first it appeared as though they had removed all of the disease. However, since the surgery, a scan showed new lymph node metastases in his abdomen. The fight is not over. Eric is back on chemotherapy and hoping for a good response, which could open the door to radiation or surgery. We are hopeful, but the future is always uncertain when cancer is involved.

Everyone who knows Eric knows that he is a kind, loving soul, who would do anything for his family. He is very close with both of his children, Byron (10) and Julianne (7). Eric has always taken care of his health. Prior to diagnosis, Eric rarely drank (now he doesn’t drink at all). He is a non-smoker and exercises regularly. He is an avid runner and even continues running through cancer treatment. Cancer should not have happened to a person like Eric, especially at a young age. 

Going forward, I am going to continue to advocate for Eric and other young-onset colorectal cancer patients in Canada. 

Colon cancer screening starts at age 50 in Alberta. This age needs to be lowered. Colorectal cancer is on the rise in young people, with many having none of the risk factors or a family history of the disease. 

Primary care providers need to take it seriously when young people present with symptoms. Eric was initially told that it was unlikely he would have colon cancer at his age and would have to wait 6-8 months for a colonoscopy in the public system. We ended up paying for a private scan, which led to an earlier diagnosis. This should never have happened.

Wait times for cancer surgery are increasing in Alberta and this is unacceptable. Any delay is a disease risk. Eric waited 77 days for his liver resection, during which time the cancer spread to more lymph nodes.

Canada is behind some other countries in surveillance and treatments for colon cancer. Molecular testing, HAI pumps, histotripsy, PIPAC and new drugs, like fruquintinib, are some of the advances that are currently not accessible in every province through the public healthcare system. Health Canada needs to improve the way they run clinical trials and approve new therapies for public funding. Canadians deserve the best available cancer care.  

Please join our fight in support of colon cancer awareness and treatments. Join our team and walk or run the 5K Bumrun with us in Calgary on May 11th. You can also donate toward the cause by following the link on this page. 

Thank you so much for your support! We need all of the strength and positivity we can get to help Eric fight this terrible disease.