When Dessa Ledet experienced repeated pain in her right side, she never dreamed she would hear the words, “You have cancer,” but faced with the results of her colonoscopy, she had to accept the harsh reality. And now, three years after her diagnosis, she can’t believe that she will be in charge of the 7th Annual Summit on Colorectal Cancer Prevention and Education (SCOPE) Run on Saturday, March 24, hosted by MD Anderson Cancer Research Center. This new reality of being a cancer survivor allowed her to participate in the SCOPE Run, which was organized by Dr. Cathy Eng, assistant professor of gastrointestinal oncology at MD Anderson, and Kimberly Tripp, executive director of emergency medical services, to help raise colorectal cancer awareness. Colorectal cancer is recognized worldwide as the second leading cancer killer. This year alone, more than 140,000 people across the United States have been diagnosed with the disease. However, not all patients are 50 years old or older; this age group is simply the high incidence age for this type of cancer. While colorectal cancer can be caused by poor lifestyle habits as well as age, a small percentage is associated with genetic instability, Eng said. “Colonoscopy screening is an effective way to reduce mortality from colorectal cancer. And colonoscopy screening is also important for early diagnosis because it can identify risk factors associated with the disease earlier and can recognize cancer symptoms earlier.” To effectively prevent the disease, it is essential to encourage healthy lifestyle habits, including a balanced diet and appropriate physical activity, as well as regular colonoscopy screenings for people 50 years and older. Ledet tells the story of her grandmother, a heavy smoker who recently died of lung cancer, but has no other history of cancer in her family; Ledet never smoked and was physically active, and was always proud of her health. She exercised three to four times a week and did her best to eat a healthy diet, with a balance of meat and vegetables and limited alcohol intake. Breaking the minimum age Ledet was just 35 years old when she was diagnosed, an age she initially thought was a little too young for cancer and unlikely for cancer to occur, especially colon cancer. She later recalled, “I didn’t feel any fear when the pain first appeared, just a little annoyance. So there was no consideration for a colonoscopy to take a closer look.” The initial diagnosis was made by her doctor at St. Amant, La. when the pain was caused by holding her five-month-old child. As the pain continued, she just wanted to see what was making her so uncomfortable. After ultrasound tests ruled out ovarian cysts, kidney stones and constipation, Ledet took the advice of a friend and decided to see a gastroenterologist. After six weeks of radiation and chemotherapy, Ledet was told that after surgery to remove the tumor, there was a 90 percent chance she would have to carry a stool bag with her for the rest of her life to collect her feces. It wasn’t until she received the same diagnosis from a second doctor in her hometown that her husband suggested going to MD Anderson for treatment together, Ledet said, “Packing up and coming to Houston was the best decision we’ve made since I was diagnosed.” Ledet underwent surgery at MD Anderson and had to carry a stool bag temporarily until her small intestine and rectum returned to normal function. Aside from a few side effects, her treatment and care at MD Anderson have greatly improved her quality of life. Eng said, “It’s true that her condition is clinically uncommon and indeed rare for a patient with colon cancer. In fact, without a family history, this type of cancer is extremely rare in adolescents and young adults compared to people of advanced age.” With a disease like Ledet’s, it’s important to persist in finding the cause and not ignore any persistent pain, even if it’s very mild. Ledet says, “I’m glad I’m still alive and feel very privileged to be participating in the SCOPE Run. I’ve always been consistent with my exercise and have been cycling several times a week, but I’ve never been involved in a nice long run like this one. I am so excited to be a part of such an event held every year for colon cancer supporters and cancer survivors. It is so important to educate more people and to raise awareness about this disease.”