Surviving colon cancer: A journey of gratitude

The challenge of balancing work and family responsibilities with personal health care is something that Krystn Shrieve, 53, understands well. For the busy mother of two, who, amid the global pandemic, was also faced with caring for a loved one battling lung cancer, getting a recommended colon cancer screening wasn’t exactly top of mind. However, blood in her stool caught her attention.

At first, Krystn attributed it to her menstrual cycle. But the blood persisted for more than a week.

Krystn called her primary care doctor and completed an at-home colon cancer screening kit, which confirmed the presence of blood. Her doctor ordered a colonoscopy for further investigation.

Devastating news

In October 2023, Dr. Andrew Su, a gastroenterologist with Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group and affiliated with Sharp Memorial Hospital, performed the procedure. Midway through, his colonoscopy scope was blocked by a mass in Krystyn’s large intestine. A biopsy later confirmed it was cancer.

“It was a crushing blow,” says Krystn. “My husband and I had been praying for good news from the moment we were in the recovery room.”

Distraught after the diagnosis, Krystn relied on her husband, Rob, to make the difficult call to her parents. Soon, she also relayed the news to her two college-aged daughters.

Krystn’s next step was a CT scan to determine if the cancer had spread. She says the CT technician’s encouragement and advice changed her perspective and gave her newfound strength.

“She said this is the fight of my life, and I need to promise that I’d fight harder than I’ve ever fought before,” says Krystn.

The day after the scan, Krystn met with her surgeon, Dr. Pamela Lee, a Sharp Rees-Stealy board-certified surgeon who is affiliated with Sharp Memorial. The scan revealed that her tumor was the size of a strawberry and was located in the upper left corner of her colon, also known as the splenic flexure. According to Dr. Lee, this is a rare location for colon cancer — only 8% to 10% of tumors develop there — but she was confident that surgery would be a success.

A superhero begins treatment

In November 2023, Krystn donned her Wonder Woman socks and underwent robotic surgery to remove the tumor. Dr. Lee removed 10 inches of Krystn’s colon and reconnected the remaining colon. Nineteen lymph nodes were removed, with one testing positive. After surgery, she was formally diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer.

Krystn left the hospital three days after surgery and continued recovery with her family at a loved one’s beach house. Her daughters put up early Christmas decorations throughout the house to boost her mood.

The following month, Krystn started a series of four chemotherapy rounds on the recommendation of her medical oncologist.

Good news

In fall 2024, a follow-up colonoscopy revealed the news Krystn had been waiting to hear: She was cancer-free. Moving forward, she will be monitored with a CT scan and blood work twice a year, along with a yearly colonoscopy for five years.

Krystn wrote about her cancer journey in a book titled, “Love and Light: How My Cancer Banished Darkness for All Time,” which is available on Amazon. Although she’s meticulously documented every aspect of her journey, she says no words can truly express her gratitude for every person she encountered during her journey at Sharp — caregivers who’ve given her another chance at life and offered many words of encouragement.

“My oncologist said to me that my life is different now,” says Krystn, who recently returned from a cruise with her daughter to mark the one-year mark of being cancer-free. “I survived cancer. It’s time to do everything I’ve ever wanted to do.”

Part of what she wants to do, to celebrate the love and light and to honor the second chance she’s been given, is to share her story and encourage others to get their colonoscopies.

“If I had three pieces of advice to share, they would be these: Get your colonoscopies. Treasure those who love you most. And, in the darkest moments yet to come, take heart, have faith, never lose hope,” Krystn says. “Turn boldly toward the light and — with complete and utter abandon — embrace the love. Then, do the best you can to pay it forward.”

Learn more about colorectal cancer; get the latest health and wellness news, trends and patient stories from Sharp Health News; and subscribe to our weekly newsletter by clicking the "Sign up" link below.