Colorectal Cancer Patient Stories

I’m 62 and I live in Bristol, Pa., with my wife Maryann. Between the two of us, we have four children and eight grandchildren (with another on the way). I also have a large extended family, and I work full time as a contractor. Needless to say, I’m a pretty busy guy!

I have been an EMT and a firefighter for 35 years. It started out as a hobby when I volunteered in high school, and it turned into a career. Thankfully, the job has kept me in good health and helped me remain in shape.

However, through my job, I had seen people at the end stage of their cancer journey. Whenever I saw a case like that, a little thought popped up in the back of my mind that it could be me one day. So, when I was diagnosed with colon cancer, I was nervous.

Working for the Willingboro School District in New Jersey and the Colonial School District in Delaware, as an educator for over 25 years, I know the value of good health insurance. I never took for granted the benefits provided to me by the state, and that meant making sure I routinely got a colonoscopy. They aren’t fun, but they might save your life – they saved mine.

Sitting in my car on the side of the road, it was like time had stopped. All I could think about was my family. What would they do without me?

Brooke Fuller enjoys working as a floral designer. She and her husband, Scott, are parents to one five-year-old son, Pierce. In January, 2014, at age 30, Brooke was diagnosed with stage 2 colorectal cancer.