Cancer and Clinical Services Patient Stories

Although the number of people diagnosed with colorectal cancer in the United States is dropping among people age 65 or older, rates of colon cancer are on the rise among younger adults.

This disturbing trend is something that Shawn Farrah, 47, of Marietta, Ohio, is living firsthand, and he is on a mission to spread an important message: Don’t ignore warning signs of colon cancer and get screened. 

“I am living proof that colorectal cancer is not a disease that just impacts older people. You are never too young to develop colon cancer. Timely screening is critically important, especially if you have a family history. I encourage anyone who is experiencing potential symptoms of colon cancer to talk to your doctor sooner rather than later. It could literally save your life,” says Farrah.

Farrah was 45 and training for the Cleveland Marathon in May 2018 when he developed debilitating pain and was taken to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. During his surgical recovery, he noticed blood in his bowel movement. He assumed it was a side effect of his pain medication and went on with life.

But the issue got worse, so with encouragement from his wife and on the advice of his family physician, Farrah underwent a screening colonoscopy in November 2018. His diagnosis: stage 3B/3C colon cancer.

Farrah was referred to The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James), where he began taking an oral chemotherapy drug combined with targeted radiation treatments to shrink the colorectal tumor so it could be surgically removed.

“That’s when I learned the cancer had spread to my liver, which was a frustrating setback,” Farrah recalls. He began a different intravenous chemotherapy to address the liver cancer, which was not operable at the time. After eight months of treatment, the liver tumor was surgically removed in March 2019. He’s had no evidence of disease since that time.

While there were setbacks and challenges, Farrah says staying physically active and involved in his church helped him remain strong in mind and body. He also became involved in the Colorectal Cancer Alliance as a patient ambassador to help spread the important message of early detection for colorectal cancer, a disease that combined impacts nearly 148,000 Americans annually.