Colonoscopy
Corner
Data, resources, humor, and everything you need to become a colonoscopy enthusiast — or at least, schedule one.
Find Screening Near YouI was 38 when they found my tumor
Two doctors told me my symptoms were hemorrhoids. On day 64, a third doctor scheduled a colonoscopy. Four days later, I woke up from that colonoscopy to learn I had Stage 3 colon cancer.
I spent the next year in treatment — and the year after that obsessively researching everything I didn't know. The data was shocking. Colon cancer is one of the most preventable cancers we have, and people are dying from it because nobody wants to talk about it.
So I decided I would talk about nothing else.
What the data actually says
People will develop colon cancer in their lifetime
Deaths per year — more than breast or prostate cancer
Increase in cases in people under 55 in just 25 years
Increase in colorectal cancer cases in teenagers
Of colon cancers start as polyps — which can be removed on the spot during a colonoscopy
People have a polyp right now. Most have zero symptoms. You can't get colon cancer while you're polyp-free.
Reduction in colorectal cancer incidence if you get a colonoscopy before you have any symptoms
Sources: American Cancer Society, AACR, Jefferson Health, HHMA
Colon cancer is actually
preventable
Most cancers you can't prevent — you can only catch early. Colon cancer is different. Because 96% of cases start as polyps, and polyps can be removed during the same colonoscopy that finds them, getting screened isn't just early detection — it's actual prevention.
You literally cannot get colon cancer while you are polyp-free.
Why are rates rising
in young people?
Colon cancer has doubled in people under 55 over the past 25 years. It's up 90% in people under 35. In teenagers, it's up 300%. These are not rounding errors — this is a trend.
The honest answer is: we don't fully know why. But research points to factors that stress the gut microbiome — 95% of which lives in your colon. The leading suspects:
Myth vs. Fact
"Colonoscopies are only for people over 50."
Screening now starts at age 45. And if you have a family history, symptoms, or belong to a high-risk group, you may need one earlier. I was 38.
"The prep is the worst part."
The prep is much better than it was 10 years ago. Think of it as a cleanse, a fast, and then a nap. You'll feel skinny, clean, and camera-ready.
"If I don't have symptoms, I don't need one."
1 in 3 people currently have a polyp with zero symptoms. Polyps found and removed before they cause symptoms is the entire point. No symptoms = perfect time to check.
"The 'best test is the one you get' — FIT tests and Cologuard are just as good."
Any test beats no test. But only a colonoscopy can both find AND remove a polyp in the same appointment. That's prevention, not just detection. The bar matters.
How I talk about colonoscopies
"Think of a colonoscopy as a fast, a cleanse, and a nap."
"It's like an exfoliation for your colon."
"The doctor sees 10+ buttholes a day. Yours is not special."
"You'll experience poo-phoria during your cleanse. You'll be in a literal flow state."
"Colonoscopy Day is like going to the spa. First the nap, then lunch with a bestie."
"You'll feel skinny, clean, and camera ready."
Get Screened
Don't wait for symptoms. Don't wait until you're 50. If you're 45+ — or earlier if you have risk factors — please book your colonoscopy now.
ACS Screening Guidelines
American Cancer Society recommendations for when and how to get screened
Low-Cost Screening
Find federally qualified health centers that offer low-cost or free colonoscopies
Fight CRC
Advocacy, research, and support for colorectal cancer patients and survivors
Worldclass Clothing
Support the cause — and wear a shirt that starts conversations about colonoscopies
You can be Worldcl*ss
Talk about colonoscopies in a positive light. Use humor. Demystify the process. Tell your friends about polyps. Schedule your own screening — and then send this page to someone you love.