“I wouldn’t want cancer again, but in some ways it’s changed my life for the better,” says colon cancer survivor Michael Hackett. “I appreciate life more than ever.”
He began periodically experiencing symptoms for a year before he was diagnosed with the disease, but as an active, busy 45-year-old, he attributed it to stress. But when severe bleeding began, he suspected that it may be more. He was right. It was then he underwent a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer.
Michael says there were many ups and downs, but the Cancer Center team and his wife and young children rallied around him to see him through the most challenging times.
His advice to others: listen to your body; don’t ignore the signs.
Michael’s doctors said that if he had waited much longer, his disease could have progressed to stage four, so seeking medical care when he did significantly increased his odds for a good outcome.
Ringing the bell on his last day of treatment on October 16 is something Michael is looking forward to, but he says he will miss the Cancer Center team members and the personal bonds he’s formed with so many of them.
This is why Michael is part of the Investor Collective, a special fundraising group designed to ensure the Cancer Center continues to attract the most talented physicians and staff, state-of-the-art technology, breakthrough treatments and more.
Watch Michael’s video below to learn more about Michael and his journey and how he will be forever changed.