I was 38 with a six-pack when I got stage 4 colon cancer — I even worked out between chemo appointments
And he wants you to know that, yes — it matters.
'I think when some people hear of someone who's very healthy and in good shape who gets cancer they go, 'What was the point of being in good shape or eating healthy because you got cancer, anyway,'' he told The Post.
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7 Kevin Brady, 38, was in the best shape of his life when he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in October 2024.
Courtesy of Kevin Brady
On the contrary, he felt that the work that he had put into his body made him feel more resilient and in control — a reminder that he was more than just his diagnosis.
Living in Astoria, Queens, he went to the Mount Sinai Queen's Emergency Department one night because he had abdominal pain that had persisted for over two days.
'All of a sudden, it would be a sharp feeling, like I almost wanted to double over for a second,' he said.
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Doctors told him he had a bowel obstruction, which was the source of his pain.
'That was basically spasms of my intestines every time they were trying to fight back on this blockage,' he said.
'I'm fortunate that basically this thing had started to grow outward and block traffic … because that was actually what triggered the pain. I was otherwise in such great shape that my body seemed to be working around it.'
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7 Brady considers himself a 'cancer survivor in training.'
Courtesy of Kevin Brady
His surgeon removed a foot of intestine, along with a four centimeter tumor. That was a surprise, because Brady didn't have any of the classic risk factors — no family history of cancer, and he didn't smoke or drink heavily.
'The rest of me was so healthy, they were able to just connect it like a pipe that was removed,' he said. 'I didn't have to have a bag or any kind of -ostomy situation.'
'I've got a really good picture of my six-pack abs right before they cut it open.' Kevin Brady
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He spent two weeks in the hospital, his weight dropping 20 pounds to 140 — which is a little lean for someone who is 6'4'. But he thanks his core strength for enabling him to move around, which came in handy — a lot.
7 Kevin with his chemo nurses, Gifty and Stacy.
Courtesy of Kevin Brady
'While I was in the hospital, I couldn't sleep so I would go up and down the halls with my IV pole and my tubes,' he said. 'I knew that the most physical fitness I could do for myself and the least pain medication I could be on, the better the recovery,' he said.
And he did it all with a little help from The Queen of Soul herself — and the hospital staff, of course.
'That's how I got to know all the nurses. I would put on Aretha Franklin's 'Say A Little Prayer' because that was a good speed for me,' he said.
Soon, he was home and it was time to start chemo, involving a chemo port being put in his upper chest.
'I've got a really good picture of my six-pack abs right before they cut it open, and that's why my scar looks the way it does, because my surgeon was able to cut between the muscle to maintain my core strength,' he said.
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7 Kevin took a snap of his six-pack before surgery.
Courtesy of Kevin Brady
He was even allowed to hit the gym between chemo appointments — which he did — as long as he kept the workouts light.
'There's now evidence that exercise following a colorectal cancer diagnosis significantly improves cure rates,' his oncologist at Mount Sinai told The Post, adding that he '100%' agrees with Brady's belief that being in great shape to begin with helped make his entire cancer journey smoother.
'There's always an advantage to being physically fit.'
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His mother — whom he calls his 'superhero' and 'a true Queens girl who would do anything for her kids' — came to every chemo appointment. He also leaned on his father, who lived around the corner during his treatment, and had his faith and a lot of support from friends to help him through.
7 He had a 'graduation ceremony' after completing chemo. So far his tests are clear, but he'll need continuous monitoring in the years to come.
Courtesy of Kevin Brady
So far his tests are clear, but he'll need continuous monitoring in the years to come.
As an openly gay man, Brady thinks of it like HIV — just because it's undetectable doesn't mean it's not there.
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'I'm not a cancer survivor yet, but I am a cancer survivor in training,' he said.
Brady 'came out' as a man with cancer with a powerful Facebook post on New Year's Eve.
7 Brady said his family, pictured, help get him through.
Courtesy of Kevin Brady
'I originally was scared to talk about it and then realized I could empower other people by talking about it and being open, sharing my pictures and stories, which is the same reason why I'm out about so many other things in my life,' he said.
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'I know from experience, when people see you doing your thing, not claiming to have all the answers, but this is how I live and this is what I bring to the table, it does help give other people strength.'
It's not about self-promoting — it's about giving back and lifting each other up.
7 Brady relied on his mom, who came to every appointment, and his dad, who lived nearby.
Courtesy of Kevin Brady
'There were other out folks in the queer community who made me feel stronger and more comfortable when I came out,' he said.
'And it was other cancer patients and survivors who bumped me up when I first got diagnosed and I've got to pay it forward because that's what gratitude is about as far as I'm concerned.
'That's why I wanted to share my story, because if I could make people more aware and make them a little less scared of what they are going through, then I've left my mark.'
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New York Post
2 days ago
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Safe injection site brings daytime public sex to East Harlem: ‘Getting my own porno show'
They're shooting up, and getting down. New York City's controversial, taxpayer-funded 'safe' injection site has reached a depraved new low — with addicts so zonked out they routinely have sex in broad daylight, often at the doorstep of neighbors forced to endure the X-rated free-for-all. The Post witnessed the madness firsthand near OnPoint's East Harlem headquarters on a recent Wednesday afternoon, as a horndog pair were conjoined for fifteen long minutes — and kept going even as pedestrians awkwardly walked past. 9 This scene unfolded around 4:30pm on a recent Wednesday afternoon on East 126th, by the OnPoint center. J.C. Rice 'The guy was just doing his thing, just looking around, wasn't afraid of anything. I couldn't believe it. I just could not believe it,' said one revolted eyewitness, who asked not to be identified. 'The guy finished, and he just starts zipping his pants and walking away. And the woman was still bent over wondering what was going on. And then after he got maybe three yards away, she said 'Hey, hey! That's it?' and he said, 'Come on!' and then she pulled up her pants and ran behind him.' 'It's disgusting,' added neighbor Shkigale Baker, who lives across the street from where the raunchy scene took place. The government-backed shooting gallery down the block — where addicts are given clean needles and other paraphernalia to snort, smoke or inject their drug of choice on site — opened in 2021, along with a second location in Washington Heights. 9 Neighbors say the drug use spills outside the walls of the East 126th center and onto the street. J.C. Rice Since then, nonprofit OnPoint has hauled in a total of $16.4 million in taxpayer funds from the city's Department of Health, with more than half coming from the Big Apple's share of the opioid settlement funds from the Sackler family, who developed OxyContin — the drug responsible for causing the opioid crisis. The nonprofit's annual budget has blown up from $2.6 million in 2021 to $17.4 million in 2024, according to tax filings. But neighbors have gotten nothing but grief since the site opened – and told The Post things are only getting worse. 9 Baker hopes the center gets shut down. J.C. Rice 'They have sex in our yards, they defecate behind our cars. It's a mess,' said Barker, 69, putting the blame squarely on OnPoint for poisoning the block. Baker had a front row seat to a similar incident in June, on the sidewalk right in front her house. 'There was a woman here, she laid her blanket out. I was sitting here thinking 'What is she doing?' Then she took off her pants, a guy came, and I'm sitting here thinking 'What? I'm getting my own porno show – are you kidding me?'' 9 Pedestrians walked past as the NSFW act took place. J.C. Rice 'They just don't care,' slammed sister Hallia Baker, who also lives in the house. 'It's just been awful.' 'Wow, just in the open? that's a level of freedom – it's terrible don't get me wrong, but I'm just thinking….my goodness,' exclaimed another woman who lives on the block, in shock. The things I've seen just blows my mind,' chimed in Michael Carden, a pipe fitter who works in the neighborhood. 'I mean, the hookers do anything for stuff.' 9 A different location on the same block. Obtained by the New York Post The city said 6,000 junkies consumed illegal drugs as many as 38,000 times at OnPoint's two sanctioned sites over the past year, and the nonprofit brags about having prevented 1,800 overdoses since its centers opened. But critics argue those overdoses just happen outside their walls and on the streets instead. 'They're just delaying overdose deaths because they don't address the underlying pathological behavior, which is really injecting yourself with poison,' said Charles Lehman, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute. 9 Every day neighbors say they see people shoot up on East 126th Street. J.C. Rice 9 Neighbors say things have become out of control. J.C. Rice Experts say the center is a beacon for drug use – and associated behaviors, such as public sex – to the neighborhoods. 'This is shocking behavior for people to have in their neighborhood. It's not shocking to law enforcement because this is the kind of behavior that we see in drug addled people,' said National Police Association's Betsy Brantner Smith. 'With these injection centers, people go, they get high, and then they give in to their urges. 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Rice They've been operating in a legal gray area – permitted under city rules but not under state and federal laws. President Trump issued an executive order last month, placing the sites under investigation by Department of Justice, with civil or criminal action expected imminently, insiders have told The Post. 'Americans deserve to feel safe in their cities and towns. President Trump is providing decisive leadership to protect public safety and end the surrender of our great cities to disorder, homelessness, and crime,' said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields. The NYPD says it has received eight calls about prostitution and lewd behavior in the area so far in 2025, and has deployed a dedicated officer nearby, at East 125th Street and Lexington Avenue. 'Our work is not done and we will continue to work with all of our partners, including the local community, to create and maintain a proper quality of life,' a spokesperson told The Post. Mayor Eric Adams, who in 2023 announced three additional safe injection sites – approved under former Mayor Bill de Blasio – would open by 2025, has quietly scrapped the plan, citing legal backlash. 'Let's not mince words – this behavior is unacceptable, full stop,' a spokesperson for Adams told The Post. City Hall says it has surged resources to the area to increase sanitation sweeps, bring people to shelters, crack down on illegal vending and begin addressing long-standing scaffolding issues that act as a magnet for crime and lewd behavior. 'There is still more to be done, and we remain committed to making sure this neighborhood is safe — and feels safe — for all who call it home. Any New Yorkers who witness this behavior should report it immediately.' OnPoint has not replied to The Post's request for comment.
USA Today
2 days ago
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Trump never actually cared about making IVF affordable. He just wanted your vote.
President Donald Trump continues to make it clear that actually helping women isn't a priority with this administration. Turns out the 'father of IVF' isn't going to live up to the promise he made on the reelection campaign trail. Who could have seen that coming? After campaigning on the promise that the government would pay for in vitro fertilization or require insurers to cover it, The Washington Post reports that President Donald Trump has no actual plan to make the procedure more affordable. There are no talks of federal subsidies or Affordable Care Act coverage, and administration officials say that there is no plan to get insurance companies on board. When asked about this by The Post, the White House issued a statement saying, "The Administration is committed like none before it to using its authorities to deliver on this pledge" to make IVF more accessible in the United States. Of course, there's a difference between saying you're committed to doing something and actually doing it. I'm not shocked that Trump made a promise he has failed to keep – after all, this is the same man who said he was going to make the cost of living go down and stop the wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Unfortunately, this is just another instance of his administration failing to prioritize reproductive rights. Let's look at what Trump said about IVF during the campaign On the campaign trail, Trump was all-in on IVF, making the claim in August 2024 that the government or insurance companies would pay for the treatment. 'We want to produce babies in this country, right?' Trump said at the time. In February, the president signed an executive order giving domestic policy advisers 90 days to brainstorm ways to lower the cost of IVF and other fertilization treatments. The deadline came and went without any public progress, and the administration recently declined to comment on it. Opinion: Planned Parenthood isn't the only loser in Supreme Court case. Women lose, too. IVF is an incredibly cost-prohibitive procedure that accounts for about 2% of births annually. The nonprofit organization KFF reports that the cost of a single round of IVF can range between $9,000 and $14,000. In the executive order, Trump claimed the costs could get up to $25,000. It's no surprise that an administration determined to pinch pennies is backing away from a plan that would cost them a lot of money, nor is it surprising that Trump would come to realize that forcing the insurance industry to do anything would hurt his chances at future donations. More than anything, it's unsurprising that Trump would go back on a promise that, while controversial in right-wing circles, would benefit families who want to have children. IVF isn't the only reproductive rights challenge we face The fight for IVF is closely linked to the fight for reproductive freedom and abortion access. It comes down to whether women can make decisions about their bodies and their ability to start a family, regardless of the beliefs of others. Opinion: Who would want to have babies under a Trump administration? Not me. In February 2024, the Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos were considered human beings, leading IVF clinics in the state to pause services out of fear. The legislature quickly introduced a bill that protected patients from potential legal issues, but it didn't address embryonic personhood. The entire situation revealed how complex the legal landscape could become after the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision overturning Roe v. Wade, to the point that it could even harm people who are actively trying to conceive. Not financially supporting IVF comes at a time when women have lost the right to choose when and how they are going to start a family: The government is making it clear that women are subject to the whims of politicians, rather than being able to make decisions about their own bodies. Trump officials never actually cared about making IVF affordable, just like they don't actually care about improving the conditions for people who want to start families but can't afford to. It was all so that Trump could get reelected. Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno
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National poison control centers documented 1,807 calls about kratom exposures between 2011 and 2017, a number that's 'only been increasing since then,' Dr. Michael Greco, an emergency medicine physician, told The Post this week. 5 Kratom, which comes in powders, gummies and drinks, can have serious side effects. betka82 – A Washington Post analysis found kratom listed in at least 4,100 deaths from 2020 to 2022. Last year, the Tampa Bay Times uncovered more than 580 kratom-related deaths in Florida alone since 2013. 'It can be especially risky when mixed with other substances or used in high doses, like we have seen in the drink 'Feel Free,'' Volpicelli noted. How addictive is kratom? Though some people say that it has helped them wean off or manage other dependencies, including to opioids and alcohol, kratom can be highly addictive in its own right — especially for people who already struggle with addiction. 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While 7-OH can be found naturally in kratom in small amounts, manufacturers have figured out how to supercharge it — boosting its concentrations in capsules, powders, liquids and edibles. Some of these souped-up products contain 109% to 509% more 7-OH than what's naturally in the plant. Experts warn that means they will have stronger effects — and a greater risk for addiction and harm. '7-OH is an opioid that can be more potent than morphine,' FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in a statement. 5 Products containing concentrated 7-OH have contain more of the psychoactive compound than what is naturally found in the kratom plant. NurPhoto via Getty Images The synthetic byproduct isn't legal in dietary supplements or food products. There are no approved drugs containing it, and no legal basis for companies to claim it helps with pain or anxiety, according to the agency. 'Consumers who use 7-OH products are exposing themselves to products that have not been proven safe or effective for any use,' the FDA warned. What is the federal government doing about 7-OH? The FDA is pushing to add the opioid-like ingredient to the federal controlled substances list. The agency wants 7-OH classified as Schedule I, a category reserved for illicit drugs with no medical use and a high potential for abuse — alongside heroin and LSD. In a recent report, the FDA said it's still concerned about kratom in general, but 7-OH's heightened risks demand urgent action. 5 Kratom products are sold at brick-and-morter stores across the country. Getty Images 'We're not targeting the kratom leaf or ground-up kratom,' said Makary. 'We are targeting a concentrated synthetic byproduct that is an opioid.' Next up, the DEA will review 7-OH and decide whether to officially label it an illicit drug. A national ban wouldn't kick in until new rules are drafted and finalized. 'Vape stores are popping up in every neighborhood in America, and many are selling addictive products like concentrated 7-OH,' Makary warned. 'After the last wave of the opioid epidemic, we cannot get caught flat-footed again.' The American Kratom Association (AKA), which has fought restrictions on the plant for years, praised the FDA's crackdown on 7-OH. 'These 7-OH products are not kratom. They are chemically altered substances that carry potent opioid-like effects and pose an imminent threat to consumers,' Mac Haddow, senior fellow on public policy at AKA, said in a statement. 'This move sends a clear and long-overdue message: the safety of the American public comes first.'
