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Blood in stool at 14? Woman's colon cancer fight revealed
13 Oct
Summary
- Woman noticed blood in stool at 14 but delayed seeking help.
- She was diagnosed with Lynch syndrome, increasing cancer risk.
- After three colon cancer diagnoses, she urges early symptom reporting.
A Missouri woman is recounting her decade-long battle with colon cancer, urging others to address unusual symptoms immediately. Danielle Ripley-Burgess first noticed blood in her stool at age 14 but concealed it for years, attributing it to eating red foods.
By age 17, her symptoms escalated, leading to a stage 3 colon cancer diagnosis. After undergoing treatment, she experienced two more cancer recurrences, eventually being diagnosed with Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that heightens cancer risk.
Ripley-Burgess underwent preventative surgeries, including a hysterectomy and colectomy, but cancer reappeared in 2023. At 39, she had her remaining colon removed. She now advocates for others, particularly young people, not to be embarrassed about their bodies and to seek medical advice for any concerning changes.
