Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
At 37, Marisa was a healthy mom of two. She worked out daily, ate clean, and had no family history of colon cancer. So when stomach pain, bloating, and eventually blood in her stool started showing up, she chalked it up to anything but cancer.
It took a gut test, a persistent dietitian, and a colonoscopy three days before Christmas for Marisa to hear the words no one expects at her age: you have colon cancer.
In this story on @thepatientstory, Marisa shares her journey from dismissed symptoms to diagnosis, the family history she didn't know she had, and the moment everything changed. Her story is a powerful reminder to listen to your body — even when nothing else points to cancer.
Thank you, Marisa, for sharing your story to help others.
#cancerpatient #cancersurvivor #patientstories #thepatientstory #cancertreatment #cancerprevention #cancersymptoms
The Patient Story:
The Patient Story is led by a dedicated team of medical, editorial, and video experts, committed to authentically portraying the cancer patient experience. Sharing your story holds transformative power, culturally and personally. We handle each narrative with utmost care, compassion, and scientific rigor.
Our editorial process adheres to the highest journalistic standards, ensuring medically researched, vetted, and fact-checked content. Backed by experienced medical professionals, we offer insights into the latest medical advancements.
Beyond patient narratives, we provide comprehensive coverage of cancer news and medical resources. From symptoms to clinical trials, insurance, finances, and support groups, we offer guidance in a humanized manner.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction – Early Warning Signs & First Symptoms
0:47 Summer 2022: Stomach Pain, Bloating & Blood in Stool
1:43 The 4th of July Scare & Working with My Dietitian
3:36 Colonoscopy Day – Doctors Find a Large Polyp
5:53 Three Days Before Christmas: The Cancer Diagnosis
7:23 No Family History – Until My Cousin's Diagnosis Too
9:23 Scans, Staging, and the Wait for Answers
10:46 Cancer Free – Then a BRCA2 Gene Mutation Diagnosis
12:16 Mindset, Hope & Listening to Your Body
Join Our Community:
Sign up for our FREE website: thepatientstory.com
Facebook: facebook.com/thepatientstory
Instagram: instagram.com/thepatientstory
Twitter: twitter.com/Patient_Story
TikTok: tiktok.com/@patientstory
To watch more colon cancer stories, click here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_-dE9R0W4pjwiSCGgiwxz7LvcLzNVJl
At 37, Marisa was a healthy mom of two. She worked out daily, ate clean, and had no family history of colon cancer. So when stomach pain, bloating, and eventually blood in her stool started showing up, she chalked it up to anything but cancer.
It took a gut test, a persistent dietitian, and a colonoscopy three days before Christmas for Marisa to hear the words no one expects at her age: you have colon cancer.
In this story on @thepatientstory, Marisa shares her journey from dismissed symptoms to diagnosis, the family history she didn't know she had, and the moment everything changed. Her story is a powerful reminder to listen to your body — even when nothing else points to cancer.
Thank you, Marisa, for sharing your story to help others.
#cancerpatient #cancersurvivor #patientstories #thepatientstory #cancertreatment #cancerprevention #cancersymptoms
The Patient Story:
The Patient Story is led by a dedicated team of medical, editorial, and video experts, committed to authentically portraying the cancer patient experience. Sharing your story holds transformative power, culturally and personally. We handle each narrative with utmost care, compassion, and scientific rigor.
Our editorial process adheres to the highest journalistic standards, ensuring medically researched, vetted, and fact-checked content. Backed by experienced medical professionals, we offer insights into the latest medical advancements.
Beyond patient narratives, we provide comprehensive coverage of cancer news and medical resources. From symptoms to clinical trials, insurance, finances, and support groups, we offer guidance in a humanized manner.
Chapters:
0:00 Introduction – Early Warning Signs & First Symptoms
0:47 Summer 2022: Stomach Pain, Bloating & Blood in Stool
1:43 The 4th of July Scare & Working with My Dietitian
3:36 Colonoscopy Day – Doctors Find a Large Polyp
5:53 Three Days Before Christmas: The Cancer Diagnosis
7:23 No Family History – Until My Cousin's Diagnosis Too
9:23 Scans, Staging, and the Wait for Answers
10:46 Cancer Free – Then a BRCA2 Gene Mutation Diagnosis
12:16 Mindset, Hope & Listening to Your Body
Join Our Community:
Sign up for our FREE website: thepatientstory.com
Facebook: facebook.com/thepatientstory
Instagram: instagram.com/thepatientstory
Twitter: twitter.com/Patient_Story
TikTok: tiktok.com/@patientstory
To watch more colon cancer stories, click here: youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_-dE9R0W4pjwiSCGgiwxz7LvcLzNVJl
