Rory Kennedy, a 36-year-old man from Miami, is facing an uphill battle after being diagnosed with stage 3C colon cancer in September 2024. Kennedy’s health dramatically worsened in 2022. Even with no cancer on either side of his family tree, he went through a week of passing black, tarry stools—a sign that can indicate a multitude of problems, ranging from digestive tract bleeding to simply eating too many blueberries.
In June 2024, Kennedy witnessed one bloody stool episode. Perhaps one of the most noticeable symptoms, persistent blood in your stool is one of the major red flags of colon cancer. In addition to this worrisome symptom, he experienced sporadic stomach pain, another classic precursor symptom of the illness. Fearing it was cancer, Kennedy made an appointment to see a gastroenterologist.
Within a month of starting medication, his symptoms were very much on the upswing. That relief was short-lived after he received a life-changing diagnosis just months later.
“I was surprised. I had no idea. Kennedy knew that something was up. He assumed he would only need to have a cleanup of a bleeding polyp or some sort of trauma in his colon.”
Upon diagnosis, doctors found cancerous cells in eight of 45 lymph nodes—which put him at stage 3C. This designation means that he’s “practically one step away from stage 4,” says Kennedy. He underwent “pretty intensive” surgery at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami. Surgeons took out ten inches of his colon, 12 inches of his small intestine, his appendix and removed 45 lymph nodes.
The surgery would become the biggest turning point in Kennedy’s journey. The challenges did not end there. As a result, he has recently started receiving chemotherapy treatment. The side effects are really taking a toll on him, wreaking havoc on his physical and mental health.
“The mental is definitely the worst part because the physical time heals,” he remarked about his ongoing battle with the disease. The emotional toll is a heavy burden to bear, he says. The chemotherapy has him nauseous, so he’s been prescribed steroids that help him sleep, due to the steroids themselves.
Kennedy to use vivid language to describe his suffering under treatment. He likened it to the pain you do when molten pizza cheese burns the top of your mouth, “Imagine that all over — in your mouth, on your gums, in your esophagus.” This heart-wrenching detail depicts how extraordinary a burden he has to carry on a daily basis.
Though faced with these crushing barriers, Kennedy is still optimistic about what’s to come. If he remains cancer-free five years post-treatment, he’ll be discharged. Even though he’s been declared cured, he will always have a 10% chance of recurrence for the rest of his life.
When I look back, the sense of panic, confusion and being lost at that time, not knowing what multiple sclerosis meant. From the time that I found out about it to a month later, I was just really in a dark place.
Kennedy’s story should be a warning to anyone considering a potentially reckless journey. He urges people to listen to their bodies and consult a doctor ASAP if they’re having symptoms of concern. “I don’t want others to have to experience what I have experienced,” he declared.
Rory Kennedy adventurously traverses this difficult period in his life. He remains as an encouraging testament to what is possible against overwhelming obstacles. Though his path was brutal, his story sheds light on the alarming realities of colon cancer in young people. It serves to remind us that early detection makes a world of difference for those fighting the same fight she is.
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