Against the Odds

A Survivor’s Mission

By Drew Gieseke

Ed Stratton’s cancer came out of nowhere. He went from having zero symptoms to passing large amounts of blood almost overnight. Hospital stints and tests followed, until finally, doctors found a spot on Stratton’s liver: cancer.

“It’s shocking; it’s devastating,” Stratton reflects on the realization. “The fortunate thing for me was I had a tremendous support group, and my medical care was fantastic.”

Stratton was diagnosed in 2019. Soon after he began treatment, Stratton connected with another patient who introduced him to the national nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer, which gave him the perfect opportunity to support others in similar situations.

Founded in 2005 and based in Springfield, Missouri, Fight CRC is a leading organization in advocating for people with colorectal cancer. It provides information on colon and rectal cancer research, treatment and policy. According to the nonprofit, colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.

Now cancer-free, Stratton continues to support cancer patients as an ambassador for Fight CRC. This includes advocacy efforts, fundraising projects and more – all to provide the same network of support he benefited from during his fight against cancer.

“You are fighting this personal battle, but somebody before me had done fundraising and advocacy, and because of that, I believe that’s why I got the medical care I got,” Stratton says. “It’s part of why I was able to overcome this thing. My family and our supporters felt that we should do the same thing for others.”

One of the successful projects Stratton helped lead includes Swing Fore the Cause, an event hosted at TopGolf Chesterfield in October that raised close to $40,000 for Fight CRC. It was a huge success – especially considering that Swing Fore the Cause was Stratton’s first attempt at a fundraising event.

“Both my wife and I play a lot of golf, so it was kind of a natural thing to do an event,” Stratton says. “We decided to do something a little different with TopGolf, and I think it turned out great. It’s a little easier to do it and get people to it, and you don’t have to be a good golfer to do it.”

Stratton says more events are in the works for 2023 to benefit Fight CRC and raise awareness of this type of cancer. Stratton advocates for screenings and adds that misconceptions about colorectal cancer can lead to misdiagnoses and prolonged pain.

“People think this is an ‘old-person’ cancer,” Stratton notes, emphasizing that younger people may misunderstand their risk. “It is not.” ln Fight Colorectal Cancer, 134 Park Central Square #210, Springfield, Missouri, 703-548-1225, fightcolorectalcancer.org