North Texas woman advocates for colon cancer awareness in young adults in memory of her brother
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month – a time to stress the importance of education and screenings, especially for young adults in their 20s and 30s.
While there is no one-size-fits-all explanation for why millennials are at a higher risk, Jenna White, of Keller, is making it her mission to carry out her brother's legacy.
Evan White died from colon cancer days before his 29th birthday.
"He was really good about, you know, putting on a smile for everyone else, so just to be there and see kind of behind the scenes of what cancer treatment is really like and how difficult it was really eye-opening," Jenna White, Evan's sister, said.
Evan White's family and friends wear blue to support a cause that's near and dear to them. Each year they host an annual golf tournament and bar crawl in honor of Evan and Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.
This March, Evan's family and friends raised $67,000 during their annual fundraiser and set a new record.
"He was diagnosed at the age of 24 and so that was quite the shock to the family because we had no family history," White said.
More than a fighter of one of the top three deadliest cancers, Evan loved to travel, music, and his dog Lola, his companion through cancer treatment.
"People always said like, 'Oh, he's just like his dog Lola,' just like always happy always carefree despite, you know, everything," White said.
Jenna White is now an ambassador for the non-profit organization, FightCRC, and travels from Fort Worth to D.C. to advocate for funding and research for colon cancer.
This month, a sea of more than 27,000 blue flags waved outside the U.S. Capitol. Each flag represents a young adult under 50 who will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer by 2030.
"Evan was a big advocate and so now, like that's something I'm really passionate about too, just because it is such a difficult thing for not only the person, who's sick, but you know, their family, their loved ones and friends to all go through it together," White said.
White said colorectal cancer is the only top five cancer killer without its own research program and funding.
"Just because Evan's not here, doesn't mean his fight's over. And we can keep his fight going… and we'll continue to fight, you know, for those who aren't here… so that their fight, you know, wasn't in vain," White said.
Doctors said colon cancer is on the rise in people in their 20s and 30s and recommend annual screenings and being aware of symptoms — constipation, blood in your stool, sudden changes in bowel habits and abnormal weight loss.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Upturn
10 hours ago
- Business Upturn
First Ascent Biomedical and Fight Colorectal Cancer Announce Groundbreaking Study to Advance Precision Oncology for Colorectal Cancer Patients
By GlobeNewswire Published on June 6, 2025, 23:41 IST Springfield, Mo., June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — First Ascent Biomedical (FA), an innovative biotech company specializing in transforming cancer treatment through functional precision medicine, is proud to announce a new collaboration with national nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) to launch a prospective feasibility study aimed at transforming colorectal cancer treatment. Funded by a $350,000 grant from Fight CRC, and spearheaded by Anjee Davis, chief executive officer, this innovative study will leverage First Ascent's cutting-edge xDRIVE tumor profiling technology to deliver rapid, personalized treatment insights for patients fighting colon cancer in Minnesota. 'Fight CRC is committed to empowering patients through innovation,' said Davis. 'This grant underscores our strategic focus on enhancing care through advanced research, particularly for those with limited treatment options.' The study, set to begin enrollment in April or May 2025, will focus on 25 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. By integrating functional drug testing, genetic analysis, and artificial intelligence, First Ascent's xDRIVE platform will provide oncologists with detailed tumor profiling data and tailored treatment options, aiming to enhance patient outcomes. Leading the clinical efforts are Hao Xie, MD, PhD, a gastrointestinal cancer specialist and precision medicine expert, and Dr. Boardman, whose work in cancer genetics and early detection has advanced the field of colorectal cancer care. Noah Berlow, PhD, First Ascent's Chief Technology Officer and the study's principal investigator, brings his expertise in AI-driven cancer research to oversee the project. Together, this team is poised to demonstrate the power of rapid, individualized tumor profiling to better understand each patient's unique cancer. 'This collaboration with Fight Colorectal Cancer is another important step in transforming how we approach cancer treatment,' said Jim Foote, founder and chief executive officer, First Ascent Biomedical. 'We are honored to be part of this effort.' The study is expected to complete enrollment within nine months and will provide actionable data to oncologists for patients requiring advanced treatment options. Patients interested in participating must be seen in Rochester, MN. Information will soon be available on Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
First Ascent Biomedical and Fight Colorectal Cancer Announce Groundbreaking Study to Advance Precision Oncology for Colorectal Cancer Patients
Springfield, Mo., June 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Ascent Biomedical (FA), an innovative biotech company specializing in transforming cancer treatment through functional precision medicine, is proud to announce a new collaboration with national nonprofit Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) to launch a prospective feasibility study aimed at transforming colorectal cancer treatment. Funded by a $350,000 grant from Fight CRC, and spearheaded by Anjee Davis, chief executive officer, this innovative study will leverage First Ascent's cutting-edge xDRIVE tumor profiling technology to deliver rapid, personalized treatment insights for patients fighting colon cancer in Minnesota. 'Fight CRC is committed to empowering patients through innovation,' said Davis. 'This grant underscores our strategic focus on enhancing care through advanced research, particularly for those with limited treatment options.' The study, set to begin enrollment in April or May 2025, will focus on 25 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. By integrating functional drug testing, genetic analysis, and artificial intelligence, First Ascent's xDRIVE platform will provide oncologists with detailed tumor profiling data and tailored treatment options, aiming to enhance patient outcomes. Leading the clinical efforts are Hao Xie, MD, PhD, a gastrointestinal cancer specialist and precision medicine expert, and Dr. Boardman, whose work in cancer genetics and early detection has advanced the field of colorectal cancer care. Noah Berlow, PhD, First Ascent's Chief Technology Officer and the study's principal investigator, brings his expertise in AI-driven cancer research to oversee the project. Together, this team is poised to demonstrate the power of rapid, individualized tumor profiling to better understand each patient's unique cancer. 'This collaboration with Fight Colorectal Cancer is another important step in transforming how we approach cancer treatment,' said Jim Foote, founder and chief executive officer, First Ascent Biomedical. 'We are honored to be part of this effort.' The study is expected to complete enrollment within nine months and will provide actionable data to oncologists for patients requiring advanced treatment options. Patients interested in participating must be seen in Rochester, MN. Information will soon be available on CONTACT: Savanna Doud Fight Colorectal Cancer 703.548.1225 savanna@ in to access your portfolio
Black America Web
a day ago
- Black America Web
Op-Ed: Care For Constituents Or Chaos? Medicaid Cuts Will Devastate All Of Us
Source: Jemal Countess / Getty In our country, which has so much abundance, poverty shouldn't be a death sentence. However, proposed cuts to Medicaid will cause many individuals, families and communities to suffer for that very reason–poverty. Significant and potentially massive cuts to Medicaid will cause irreparable harm. Shockwaves will reverberate in rural, urban, and suburban communities, and impact individuals, working families, many of our most fragile elderly and our most vulnerable young and disabled. I offer this perspective as a public health practitioner. I have spent my career supporting and advancing health systems in our country, across Louisiana, the Gulf Coast, and in our nation's capital, Washington, D.C., Medicaid supports our workforce and health systems (hospitals and clinics), in addition to individuals, families, and communities Medicaid provides insurance to people with low incomes and people who have disabilities. This includes many individuals who work, but still don't work jobs with health insurance, work part-time, or don't make enough to cover insurance. It is the nation's single largest health insurance program. And it is wildly popular. More than 96% of Americans believe the program is important in their communities and recent national polls from January 2025 found that 80% of Americans have a favorable view of Medicaid. Some may wonder if I am overreacting. I'm not. More than 70 million Americans receive health care coverage under the Medicaid program. In Louisiana, where I live, one-third of our adult population is on Medicaid, and the percentage of coverage is even higher in rural areas. In fact, Medicaid plays a much larger role in covering rural communities in Louisiana and across our country than it does in metro/areas. In other parts of the South, like rural Kentucky, more than 40% of the population is on Medicaid. These individuals, like all of us, want nothing more than to live healthy and thriving lives while making ends meet for their families and making their children's futures more prosperous. The public may envision people on Medicaid as unworthy of receiving assistance. But there is no one profile of a Medicaid recipient. They come from all backgrounds, all races and ethnicities, all ages and all communities. In fact, most low-income Americans, whether rural or urban, Black or White, Republican or Democrat, share an economic fate impacted by hardship, and the solution to their support and prosperity is also shared. For instance, 'The number of people earning less than $25,750 for a family of four is rising in both Republican and Democratic districts, and across racial and geographic lines.' It's also important to understand the range of services people receive from Medicaid. Services include everything from general health services, to behavioral health (mental health and substance use) services, disability services, maternal health supports and more. Impacts across all of these areas could be devastating with federal and state cuts to beneficiaries or benefits. For example, maternal health outcomes, particularly maternal mortality, continue to devastate families and communities across our country. Louisiana had the nation's fourth-highest maternal mortality rate in 2021 at 60.9 deaths per 100,000 births, but I know this is not just a Louisiana problem; it's a national one. The March of Dimes reported that '870 maternal deaths occurred each year…and every year 50,000 women experience a life-threatening complication (sometimes called a near-miss)' or severe maternal health complication. With such high risk, good coverage and high-quality care is more important than ever, and over 42% of all births in our country are covered by Medicaid. Reducing these Medicaid benefits would be disastrous to mothers, babies and families. Chancing the lives of mothers and babies is simply too risky! While I referenced maternal health, Medicaid supports the existence of healthier communities. Beyond the immediacy of illness, sick people can't work, study, or play. They can't contribute to their families, our communities, and the country's economy—from kids, to employers, to the GDP, everyone loses. Our nation's health systems, from rural health centers to large urban hospital systems receive critical funding to cover the millions of peoples seeking care. The healthcare sector, one of the most important sectors of our economy overall, relies heavily on Medicaid reimbursement to sustain jobs and services. Cuts of great magnitude will threaten clinics, hospitals and medical providers. We will see the impacts of this immediately in rural regions with the shuttering of services, significant job losses, and further diminishing already challenged access to care. With health care shortages already existing, our conversations need to be continued around closing the gaps in access, not creating new chasms. Now more than ever, we need our leaders and legislative champions to protect our communities and their health and well-being! Given the adverse impact Medicaid cuts would have on the nation, we need to boldly reject proposals that will weaken the program and impact all of our communities. Given its importance, some may wonder why elected leaders would want to cut the program. Some legislators propose cutting Medicaid as part of a broader plan to give $4.5 trillion in tax cuts. Others want to lower the federal deficit, a $1.1 trillion deficit at the end of February 2025. Policymakers should not attempt to bring down federal spending with ill-conceived strategies that will only add to Americans' suffering. They should instead think strategically about taxation. Legislators can bring a great deal of confidence in their leadership by examining other alternatives to drastic Medicaid cuts, by reminding us that they care for all of their constituents, and that they are creating a vision for a healthier future based on their community's needs—timely doctors' visits, healthy births, high quality mental health care and substance use supports—not disregarding, or even worse targeting the thing that keeps us safe and well. Shelina Davis is the Chief Executive Officer of the Louisiana Public Health Institute. SEE ALSO: 'We All Are Going To Die': Joni Ernst's Chilling Defense Of Medicaid Cuts Sparks Outrage At Iowa Town Hall The Midnight Medicaid Cuts: Why The GOP's Reconciliation Bill Is A Raw Deal For The American People SEE ALSO Op-Ed: Care For Constituents Or Chaos? Medicaid Cuts Will Devastate All Of Us was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
