Meagan Meadows’ blood work and a CT scan each got here again clear. Now she is severely unwell
A lady who dismissed an important symptom was identified with stage three colon most cancers. Meagan Meadows, 24, began experiencing blood in her stool in October 2024, however after chatting with family and friends, she dismissed her signs as hemorrhoids.
After a number of months, her signs continued, so Meagan booked an appointment along with her major care doctor, who apparently mentioned she ‘wasn’t involved’ however ordered blood work and a CT scan to be protected – which got here again clear.
She was then referred to a GI physician – a gastroenterologist – who carried out a colonoscopy in June 2025. Meagan mentioned the physician was in ‘full shock’ after discovering a big mass and ordered one other CT scan and blood exams.
Three days later, Meagan was identified with colon most cancers and instructed she would wish an operation to take away the tumor. In June 2025, docs eliminated the mass, a few of her colon, and 20 lymph nodes, which they despatched for biopsy.
Seven of the lymph nodes got here again cancerous, and Meagan obtained an extra prognosis of stage three colon most cancers – and is presently present process six months of chemotherapy.
Meagan Meadows, 24, a latest instructing graduate, from Temecula, California, mentioned: “My coronary heart sank after they instructed me that my most cancers was stage three.
“Once they mentioned that seven lymph nodes have been cancerous, I used to be floored. I didn’t count on it to be so excessive. After that, I did not hear a factor – I shut down.
“The entire drive house, I used to be telling my dad and mom that I did not wish to die. It was so scary going from a standard 24-year-old to figuring out that demise was a chance at my age.”
After initially experiencing blood in her stool, Meagan thought it was brought on by hemorrhoids. She had chatted with household and pals who all thought there was ‘nothing to fret about’ due to her age.
Meagan mentioned: “The one symptom I had was blood in my stool. I did not have an excellent eating regimen on the time, I wasn’t consuming sufficient water – anybody I spoke to instructed me it was hemorrhoids. I waited it out, however each time I went to the lavatory it was there.”
In February 2025, Meagan visited her major care doctor, who mentioned she additionally “wasn’t involved” however ordered blood work and a CT scan to be protected. She had additionally referred Meagan to a GI physician, however after the outcomes of her blood work and CT scan got here again clear, Meagan was going to cancel.
Meagan mentioned: “I began off with getting the blood work again, nothing indicated there was a difficulty. I acquired the CT scan again, which got here again regular.
“I believed clearly my outcomes have been nice, so I believed I used to be nice and I did not must go additional. I used to be so near canceling my appointment with my GI physician.”
In April 2025, Meagan went forward along with her appointment along with her GI physician, who ordered a colonoscopy. The outcomes confirmed that Meagan had a big mass on her colon, so the GI physician ordered one other blood check and a CT scan.
These outcomes got here again exhibiting the mass and enlarged lymph nodes, so docs took a biopsy of the mass. Meagan mentioned: “Three days later, they instructed me I had colon most cancers.
“I used to be in full shock. I had a robust feeling it is perhaps, however I used to be nonetheless actually scared and upset. The toughest half about all of it was not figuring out what was going to occur subsequent. The physician had instructed me I used to be the youngest individual he had seen with this prognosis.”
In June 2025, Meagan underwent an operation to take away the mass, among the colon, and some lymph nodes. Throughout the operation, docs ended up taking out “rather more” than they anticipated – together with 25 cm of her colon and 20 lymph nodes.
The outcomes got here again and confirmed that Meagan had stage three colon most cancers and is now present process six months of chemotherapy.
Meagan mentioned: “That was the appointment I used to be dreading essentially the most. I used to be so relieved that the tumor had gone, but it surely was a scary 10 days of ready.
“Therapy has been troublesome; it will get quite a bit tougher every time I am going. It takes plenty of willpower to return every time.”
Meagan’s pal and household launched a GoFundMe to assist cowl medical bills.
