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."
The first streetwear brand in colonoscopy history
I started Worldclass Clothing because I needed a way to change how people feel about colonoscopies — and humor, fashion, and branding are the most powerful tools I know.
It's a non-profit. The brand is joyful, subversive, and designed to spark curiosity. 100% of profits go into the Colonoscopy Fund, which we use to fund patient navigation services and direct colonoscopy access for underinsured communities.
Worldclass Mission: Change how people feel about colonoscopies through fashion, humor, facts, and branding. Deliver the message. Reduce the barriers.
100% of profits go to the Colonoscopy Fund to help underinsured patients access screening.
@worldclass_clothing on Instagram →Brooks on colonoscopies
[ Video title from @rbrooksbell ]
[ Video title from @rbrooksbell ]
More at youtube.com/@rbrooksbell
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
At-Home Stool Tests
FIT tests and Cologuard for at-home screening options — any test beats no test
Low-Cost Screening
Find federally qualified health centers that offer low-cost or free colonoscopies
Colon Cancer Alliance
Patient support, resources, and information on colorectal cancer prevention
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.