End-of-year charitable giving

From Lily, a stage IV, 18-year-old patient

Why You Should Donate

“I was only a freshman at the University of Michigan when I learned I had stage II colorectal cancer, which later progressed to stage IV. Now, my life is divided between before and after. Before cancer, I was hopeful and excited, looking forward to Greek life, epic tailgates, and independence. 

But then I bled while using the bathroom a few weeks into the first semester. My parents were frightened, and the doctors I saw were diligent but dumbfounded. Colon cancer isn’t on the radar when you’re dealing with someone like me — a ‘pediatric’ patient standing five feet tall with a baby face.

The after — the moments after my diagnosis, are an endless series of disappointments, isolation, and depression, to say nothing of the treatment itself. There I was, with a huge mass in my colon, desperately trying to keep my dreams intact while facing a nightmare.

Cases of colorectal cancer are rising among young people like me, and they are more often diagnosed at later, deadly stages. Your donation to the Alliance today can fund research and awareness work to counter this deadly trend, as well as support programs for people diagnosed young, like me.” - Lily.

Your tax-deductible donation will assist the colorectal cancer community all year long. Support more moments that matter to the colorectal cancer community by donating or creating a fundraiser for the Colorectal Cancer Alliance today.