Cancer and Clinical Services Patient Stories

After two years of battling colorectal cancer, Megan’s father had one request of his three children: undergo genetic testing at The James.

With a family history of cancer that includes not only her father but also her grandmother and aunt, the family hadn’t really connected the genetic dots — until her aunt went to The James for testing and found that she had the inherited gene mutation known as Lynch syndrome, which predisposes a person to colorectal cancer, endometrial cancer and others.

After Megan’s aunt tested positive for Lynch syndrome, her father was tested and found that he was too. “We hadn’t really talked about those kinds of things as a family,” she shares.

But they quickly made plans to meet with members of the OSUCCC – James Division of Human Genetics for testing.

“The genetics team went through the whole progression of what it would be like if we were diagnosed,” she recalls, “and I got a clear understanding of what those next steps were going to look like for me or my siblings if any of us were positive.”

Megan received her test results just three days after her father passed away. She was positive for Lynch syndrome; her two siblings were not. “I lost my dad and then immediately got this heavy news about myself,” she shares. “It was a lot to handle.”

Admittedly, she says she didn’t handle it well — at least at first. “I call it my crucible year,” she says. “I had gone through a little bit of everything — I moved, got a divorce, started a new job where I was on call 24/7. I lost my dad, and I got my diagnosis. It was hard.”

While the first year after being diagnosed was the hardest, Megan says everyone at The James worked to make it easier.

“I was dealing with so much loss. The future I had planned for myself was blown to bits. I always wanted to be a mom of six kids. But all of the amazing people at The James were wonderful resources, and they dealt with all my questions — and all my crazy,” she says with a laugh.

“I’m a planner and a stress-oriented person,” she continues, “but I realized it didn’t have to be that way. With all the support of my family and friends, I started to build some systems that helped me. I stayed really connected with The James and got involved with their panel, where I talk to new doctors who are dealing with how to best address these things for patients.” 

She also stays connected with her genetic counselors, and she now actually looks forward to her annual colonoscopy. "It’s something that I know, when I go, I'm free and clear for another year,” she says. "So, I started to just get excited about going and bringing a different friend or family member with me to kind of enjoy the situation with me.”

And for each visit, she definitely lets her unique style of humor shine through. “I started bringing ‘butt-themed’ treats with me for the staff,” she chuckles. “I try to make them giggle."

According to Megan, positivity and gratitude are always a choice. “Before, it was like, ‘What’s that next thing I need?’ ‘What’s the next tier I have to get to?’ Now I’m just so grateful, shifting my perspective to focus on how I can make the best of each day for where I am, what I do have and who I’m around.” 

That includes the children she now has in her life. “I have nieces and nephews who get so excited to see me,” she shares. “I’ve also found a second family in my theater community; I’m now like a pseudo-mom to all the kids there. I found a way to get my ‘kid bug’ out, and then I still get to go home and have a glass of wine and relax, which is nice.”

And the advice that Megan has for anyone considering genetic testing? Do it. She is incredibly thankful that her father made that final request of her and her siblings.

“He gave me every opportunity to be successful now,” she says. “He saved my life.”