Pursuing advocacy after cancer diagnosis

life and death. Anna Dahlgren would know. This medical professional and mom experienced just one minor incident, resulting in a shocking diagnosis of colon cancer at just 33 years old. There was no history of the disease in her family. Her single symptom would have been easy to ignore, or at least put off reporting for a while, but Dahlgren had enough selfawareness to know in her heart that something wasn’t right. Her life was saved due to an early diagnosis, and she is now passionate about advocating for the cause.

Just one symptom, just one time

~ Anna Dahlgren ~

Discussing a change in one’s bowel habits is far from what most would consider to be polite repartee. But it definitely isn’t something to keep to yourself. No matter your age, any bowel changes should be taken seriously and promptly reported to your doctor. It could truly be a matter of

Dahlgren, who was born and raised in Duluth, was breezing through life. With a great job doing medical lab work, a young son, Isaac, and a loving partner by her side, life was good. Her world was rocked in June 2014 when she noticed something out of the ordinary.

“It was a Thursday,” Dahlgren said, “And I was at work. I noticed a bit of blood in my stool. Being a lab tech, I knew it wasn’t normal, so I asked a resident what her thoughts were. She said ‘see me on Monday.’”

Initially, the doctor thought it could be a hemorrhoid or inflammatory bowel disease. “Cancer was the last thing we thought it would be,” Dahlgren said. “I had no family history of the disease, and I was only 33. And, I had had only the one instance of blood in my stool.”

A colonoscopy was promptly ordered. Dahlgren was initially hesitant due to her young age, but she ultimately agreed.

During the colonoscopy, a large polyp was discovered and removed, which was ultimately diagnosed as cancerous. Dahlgren later underwent a surgical procedure where 18 inches of her large intestine, along with 20 lymph nodes, were removed as a precaution. The cancer had not spread to any of the lymph nodes and was contained within the polyp.

Her cancer was diagnosed at stage 1, and thus, chemotherapy and radiation were not required. And, the sections of Dahlgren’s intestine were able to be successfully reconnected, so an ostomy bag was not required.

Genetic testing was done on the polyp, and a genomic blood profile was also completed. Both were negative for any hereditary components that could have caused her cancer. It was a completely random occurrence.

There are theories that eating red meat, or a lack of fiber in the diet can contribute to colon cancer. Some doctors think the causes may be due to environmental factors. But ultimately, there are no firm answers. “I wish there was one thing to tell people to do or not do in order to prevent it, but cancer doesn’t care who you are,” Dahlgren said.

Encouraging others

After Dahlgren’s diagnosis, she began telling everyone she knew about her experience. As a result of her open and honest advocacy, in person and on social media, other lives have no doubt been saved.

Her entire family went in for colonoscopies. Her younger sister also had a polyp removed, which was precancerous, according to doctors. And a high school classmate and Facebook friend shared this very personal story with Dahlgren:

"My brother was feeling sick, and no doctor would run tests. They said, ‘take it easy and if you still don't feel good, come back.’ I saw something on your Facebook page about getting a colonoscopy, and told my brother he should ask for this. He felt crummy a couple more days, and then started having pains in his stomach. He went to the ER, and they ordered a few tests, but still no colonoscopy. After those tests and a day or two in hospital, they finally they checked the colon. They

Continued on page 12 found a mass three days later. It was cancerous, but it had not spread. It was all removed so he was diagnosed at stage 1. They told him if he has siblings to make sure they get tested. He is doing well — he has another month off of work, then a check-up to make sure he is strong enough to go back. Thanks for being an advocate.”

Dahlgren’s son, Isaac, will be required to begin receiving colonoscopies as a preventative measure when he is just 23. That is 10 years younger than his mom’s age when she was diagnosed.

Advocacy

As a result of her experience, Dahlgren has become a dedicated advocate for early colon cancer detection. She joined forces with the Colon Cancer Coalition (CCC) in Edina, Minn., a nonprofit organization with a focus on screening for the disease. CCC will help pay for colonoscopies for those who can’t afford the lifesaving test.

She also serves on the Board for the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, out of Washington, D.C. The group recently advanced their “never too young” initiative, which resulted in the reduction of the age of a person’s first recommended colonoscopy from age 50 to age 45; but of course, younger if any symptoms arise.

Locally, Dahlgren teamed up with Bent Paddle Brewing to host a fundraiser and awareness event on March 27. She is also partnering with the Duluth Huskies and St. Luke’s for a baseball game on July 26 to feature plenty of colon cancer awareness activities. And, of course she continues getting the word out to everyone she knows.

In her personal life, Dahlgren continues getting routine colonoscopies — at first it was every year, but now that she is five years out from her diagnosis, every three years. She keeps an eye on what she eats, and tries to get more exercise. But life has also taught her to relax.

“I used to stress about perfection, but I don’t care about perfection anymore,” she said. “I’ll leave my house a mess if my son wants to snuggle. And, I try to make more time for fun hobbies such as scrapbooking and reading. My diagnosis has changed my life for the better.”

Talk about it

Bowel habits are a very private and often embarrassing thing to discuss, even with a doctor. “It’s such a taboo subject. People don’t want to talk about their stool,” Dahlgren said.

But sometimes we simply have no choice but to put our embarrassment aside. If something is amiss with your bowel habits, please have a conversation with your doctor, Dahlgren said. Early detection can save your life.

“Pay attention to your body. You know what is normal for you. And blood in your stool is never normal,” Dahlgren said.

“If your doctor dismisses your concern or says you’re fine because of your age, find another doctor. My chance of a normal life span after colon cancer is almost 100 percent. I’m so lucky that my cancer was discovered at a stage 1. I know that a cancer diagnosis is hard to hear, but I am proof that when diagnosed early, it is a lot easier to overcome.” D

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer and frequent contributor to The Woman Today.

Anna Dahlgren welcomes questions about colon cancer prevention and screening. Please contact her at adahlgren31@gmail.com. Common symptoms of colon cancer and other information about the disease can be found at coloncancercoalition.org.