Marcus Wendling, a 47-year-old small manufacturing business owner and dedicated father of three, faced an unexpected health crisis in early 2023 when he was diagnosed with Stage 3 rectal cancer. His only symptom was seeing blood in his stool. This unexpected diagnosis compelled him to learn more about the disease and its treatment.
Wendling’s path to a diagnosis started with a colonoscopy in November of 2023, his first ever colonoscopy. The findings brought news of widespread rectal cancer, laying the groundwork for a grueling fight to come. In March 2024, he underwent lower anterior resection surgery. The surgery was performed at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital. During this five-hour procedure, surgeons removed a portion of his rectum and reattached the remaining healthy part to his colon.
Never one to wallow despite the gravity of his condition, Wendling was on the go even during his treatment. Three of the 12 lymph nodes removed during his cancer surgery had tested positive for cancer, requiring additional treatment.
Wendling anticipated a stringent 3-month chemotherapy schedule and jumped into it full force. He courageously went through the treatment and had very limited side effects. After his surgery, he was fitted with an ileostomy bag, a pouch worn on the outside of the body to collect waste. However, he was able to lose the ileostomy bag in September 2024, which was a momentous milestone in his recovery journey.
As grand and eventful as his recovery sounds, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Wendling experienced a fever due to a small leak at the surgical site, which took four to five weeks to resolve.
In spite of this difficult journey, Wendling was determined to stay active and keep his body in shape. He works out six days a week. In fact, just a few months prior to his diagnosis in May 2023, he had finished a half Ironman!
Looking back on his experience, Wendling was adamant that taking charge of your health early is key to prevention.
“I feel like I was very proactive with this,” – Wendling
Dr. Matthew Kalady commended Wendling for being proactive about his health. He took the initiative early on by going to Ohio State University for medical evaluation.
“So the No. 1 thing I would say is, try to stay on top of your overall health because you never know when you’re going to face something like this.” – Wendling
Treatment paved Wendling’s road to recovery with many bumps, as expressed by Shuff’s comment. If you take the whole picture, he had a fantastic performance.
“Marcus was smart in taking ownership of his health and getting his symptoms evaluated early,” – Dr. Matthew Kalady
“Marcus had a few bumps on the road to recovery, as can happen with treatments, but overall he did great,” – Dr. Matthew Kalady
Today, he’s still focused on getting back to the level of fitness he had before his diagnosis crossed his personal path.
Wendling’s story is a cautionary tale of realizing when something is off and getting help—in her case, quickly—before it’s too late. His proactive approach and commitment to fitness helped him get to where he is today, and fitness was a key part of his recovery journey.
“The No. 2 goal is to beat my time from 2023 — that’s sort of closing the book on last year.” – Wendling
Wendling’s story serves as a reminder of the importance of recognizing health changes and seeking timely medical attention. His proactive approach and commitment to fitness may have played a crucial role in his recovery journey.
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