see something say something

MARCH IS COLORECTAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH — YOUNG PEOPLE PAY ATTENTION!

Rachel Ellingson, an attorney in New York City, was adored by her family and friends, and impacted everyone she came in contact with. Her sister, Becca Ellingson says, “She was so full of life and love and compassion. Being around her was the best thing ever.”

Her mother, Pat Monson adds, “When Rach was around you felt so happy — she took the tempo up. She loved love. Anybody who met her, even if just for five minutes, became a friend — even cab drivers in the city.”

In October 2015 Rachel was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer at the age of 33. She passed away when she was just 36.

Becca found out she was pregnant the day Rachel found out she had cancer. Becca’s daughter Adlie and Rachel had a very close bond; everyone who knows them says Adlie bears a close resemblance to her aunt.

Rachel wrote about her niece, Adlie, in her blog, “She is my little earthly guardian angel and I’m so grateful to be her auntie. Even at these darkest times, it’s crazy how full of love one can be.” Rachel, according to comments left on her blog, was the very personification of love. That is why her unexpected and senseless death has left so many stunned and wishing someone had paid closer attention to her symptoms.

Rachel had shared her symptoms with several different doctors, which she had experienced for about nine months before diagnosis. Initially, she was misdiagnosed. According to Monson, 67% of young onset colorectal cancer patients (those 20-45 years old) see at least two doctors for their symptoms before they are diagnosed, and 17% are initially diagnosed with other conditions — typically hemorrhoids or irritable bowel syndrome.

Rachel told her mom it was easy to ignore her symptoms, which included anemia and rectal bleeding, because the professionals weren’t taking note. It got to the point where she could no longer ignore them.

After seeing an internal medicine doctor in New York City, Rachel finally asked for a referral to a gastroenterologist, who did an exam and found the tumor. A biopsy and further scans showed she had stage 4 colorectal cancer that had metastasized to her liver and lungs.

Rachel always embraced life with passion and humor and approached her diagnosis and treatment in similar fashion. The blog she kept during her treatment is filled with quotes, drawings and Rachel pouring out her heart. It highlights the nature of a young woman who had a passion and curiosity for life and spirituality, even as she endured multiple painful surgeries.

Monson is determined that no other young person should be dismissed because of age when complaining of symptoms of colorectal cancer. She knows of several young people, including one of Rachel’s best friends, who, because of Rachel’s experience, was checked and found to have precancerous polyps. A friend of Becca’s, whose birthday fell on the day Rachel died, wrote to tell her that because of Rachel, she had a colonoscopy, which saved her life. Her family was counseled to be screened and several others were found to have the deadly disease.

In a short span of time, Rachel’s story has already saved lives. It is Monson’s mission, as it was Rachel’s, to educate young people and health care providers about the symptoms of a disease that has more often been associated with older people. While the incidence of colorectal cancer in people over 50 is declining, it is increasing in younger people and the reasons are unclear.

People must begin talking about colorectal cancer even though it’s an uncomfortable subject. With Rachel as her inspiration, Monson set up a fund through Dakota Medical Foundation with the goal of educating the public, doctors and health care providers who will be evaluating patients.

The fund has printed blue t-shirts with a picture of Rachel and the words “live like Rach” on the front. On the back, under the heading “see something, say something,” taken from Rachel’s blog, is a list of key symptoms of colorectal cancer, including: change in bowel habits; bloody stool/rectal bleeding; weakness and fatigue; and weight loss or gain.