Maria Kahn was never one to keep silent. The Sacramento fitness influencer and mother of three has gone viral multiple times — first more than a decade ago when she posted a super-fit photo of herself in workout gear, surrounded by her three kids. And the caption said: “What is your excuse?
The post quickly racked up 16 million views and sparked endless outrage from women who expressed their displeasure at the body-shaming attack. Kang has been called a nuisance, a bully, and an idiot. But that only fueled her passion, sending her into a frenzied years of health and wellness entrepreneurship—she owned a chain of nursing homes and ran Fitness Without Borders and No Excuses Moms (whose spin-offs include calendars and a book) and recently became a breathing coach. The media moment continued as she opened up about everything from having her breast implants removed to breaking up her marriage.
Now, she’s speaking out about a big update in her life: She’s been diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.
“I thought I would never talk about this,” Kang, 43, told Fortune (although she shared the news on social media and her blog). “But I want people to realize this can happen to anyone… I’m a symbol of health and happiness.”
She said she spent a year believing her digestive issues, anemia and abdominal pain were benign symptoms, like hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and didn’t want others to make the same mistake. When her doctor discovered her iron levels were low, he ordered a CT scan, which revealed a mass. A colonoscopy and biopsy confirmed it was cancer and it had spread to the lymph nodes, making it stage four.
“You go through a cascade of emotions, and part of it is, ‘Why me? I did everything. I meditated. I’m not angry at anyone. You start to get angry… but then you realize you’re not alone. .
In fact, according to a report released by the American Cancer Society in January, this is truer than ever, as colorectal cancer rates have been rising rapidly in people under 50 years old and in those over 65. is falling. (According to just-released data, rates are even rising among children and teens.)
“We don’t know exactly what’s driving the surge in colorectal cancer cases in young adults,” Dr. James McCormick, system chief of colon and rectal surgery at Allegheny Health Network in Pittsburgh, told Fortune. “While some people are genetically predisposed to developing colorectal cancer, this does not explain the current situation. It must be caused by some environmental, dietary or lifestyle factors – or most likely a combination of all three,” he said. This includes the air we breathe and the water we drink, he said, adding that known risk factors include “all the hallmarks of the Western diet” such as high animal fat and processed meat intake and low fiber intake, as well as obesity and obesity.
So what about Kang and others like her?
“It’s worth noting that I see many young patients who come into my office who report that they eat well, maintain a highly active lifestyle, and maintain a healthy weight, but despite these deliberate efforts, they fail in their 20s. and still had colorectal cancer into her 30s,” McCormick said.
In other words, it can be an adventure.
Learn about colorectal cancer symptoms
Symptoms commonly attributed to colorectal cancer include “changes in bowel habits, bleeding, fatigue, abdominal pain, bloating, or unexpected weight loss,” McCormick said. Bleeding and anemia – both of which Kang experienced – as well as unintentional weight loss, “always need to be evaluated,” he added.
Regarding other symptoms, he said it’s true that many people experience abdominal pain, bloating and fatigue and attribute it to irritable bowel syndrome or other benign causes. But he said that while 20 years ago doctors were diagnosing irritable bowel syndrome and hemorrhoids in healthy young people with no family history of colon cancer, “that’s no longer the case” because rates in that group have doubled in that time. After a while.
“Be careful,” McCormick advised. “You can’t diagnose hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome at home based on descriptions online. In fact, irritable bowel syndrome is a diagnosis of exclusion, which means we have to rule out more ominous diagnoses to make a diagnosis, and the conditions we rule out These include colon cancer and inflammatory bowel disease.
So, when is it important to get checked? Beyond bleeding, anemia and unintentional weight loss, he advises, “I think the most important differences are changes — changes in bowel habits, changes in pain, changes in bloating and ongoing fatigue. Pay attention to what’s going on for you.” “Normal” and watch if this changes, he recommends, get checked out and stick with a colonoscopy if this persists for more than a few weeks.
Take preventive measures
McCormick said preventive colonoscopy, currently recommended starting at age 45 in the absence of significant risk factors or symptoms, is the “gold standard” because it can eliminate precancerous lesions and nip the development of cancer in the bud. But alternatives, including the FIT test or a stool test in the form of Cologuard, are good options—as long as the result is positive, you can have a colonoscopy. “But the most important thing is that people do something to screen,” he said.
More advice from doctors is to focus on the things you can control: eat a high-fiber diet full of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables; minimize red and processed meats and alcohol; stick to nuts, seeds, beans, fish and chicken Serve as a source of protein; Exercise at least 30 minutes 4 to 5 times a week; Maintain a healthy weight; Know your body and stay alert. “No matter your age, don’t ignore symptoms and insist on having a colonoscopy,” he stressed.
Kang agreed, adding some wisdom of her own.
“One in two women will get cancer, and we always think, ‘If I do this, if I do this, I won’t get cancer.'” But sometimes it doesn’t matter how young or healthy you are. Important,” she said. “I don’t want to create fear, I want people to realize that it’s possible. So, I want everyone to live their best life, be happy, be happy. Live the life you want to live today.
More information about colorectal cancer:
