When Chris Stadelman first received his diagnosis a year and a half ago, he decided to try his best to carry on as he always had.
"With the exception of a few close friends ... I didn't want to talk about it," he said.
It wasn't long before Stadelman realized he needed to talk about what was happening to him in order to help others avoid the same scary diagnosis: Stage 4 colorectal cancer.
On Thursday, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin declared March to be Colorectal Cancer Awareness month in the state.
Stadelman, the governor's press secretary, joined him in the Capitol to talk about his own journey - he has undergone 34 rounds of chemotherapy since August 2014, and will continue to receive chemo indefinitely - and to encourage others to be proactive about their health and recognize the symptoms of the second-most deadly cancer in the nation.
"A colorectal cancer diagnosis is never expected, and it's never easy," Tomblin said. "While any cancer diagnosis can bring concern, it's important to remember that colorectal cancer is preventable and treatable, and early detection and intervention is ideal."
Colorectal cancer is the third-most diagnosed cancer in the U.S., and the most prevalent cancer among West Virginians. Last year, Tomblin became the first governor to sign the National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable's 2018 Pledge to increase the rate of those screened for colorectal cancer to 80 percent of the public. Currently, only 63 percent of West Virginians over the age of 50 get screened for colorectal cancer, according to the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources.
"As we continue to show our support, we must continue to work hard to raise awareness on the serious impacts of this disease and the importance of early detection," Tomblin said. "Projections show that if the majority of people age 50 and older receive regular screenings, the death rate for colorectal cancer would decrease by nearly 70 percent."
Colorectal cancer usually begins with non-cancerous polyps in the lining of the colon or rectum, and removing polyps early can prevent colorectal cancer from developing, according to DHHR. Symptoms of colorectal cancer include blood in the stool, stomach pain that doesn't go away, unexplained weight loss, weakness or fatigue and changes in bowel movements.
The American Cancer Society recommends that adults over 50 receive regular colorectal cancer screenings, and those with a family history of the disease should begin receiving screenings at 40. Early detection is key to increasing a person's chances of recovering - the five-year survival rate for Stage 1 colorectal cancer is 92 percent, while the five-year survival rate for Stage 4 colorectal cancer is 11 percent, according to the ACA.
"It's something I struggled with for a while. I don't like sharing my condition, but I realized that I had an opportunity," Stadelman said. "Everything happens for a reason, and you don't know what that reason is. I work with the governor, and I have a lot of contacts in the media, and maybe I could help save someone's life. The reality is that I know what Stage 4 means, but if other people take this and go get screened, that makes it all more worthwhile."
Charleston Area Medical Center will host a free cancer screening day March 12 from 8 a.m. to noon at the CAMC Cancer Center in Kanawha City. The event will offer free in-home colorectal cancer screening kits, lung cancer risk assessments, education on cancer risk factors and affordable blood testing. For more information, call (304) 388-8612.
Reach Lydia Nuzum at lydia.nuzum@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5189 or follow @lydianuzum on Twitter.