OPINION:
This month feels like an important time to share my story, with Veterans Day and National Men’s Health Awareness Month reminding us to take care of ourselves and one another. I hope my experience encourages fellow service members, veterans and others to stay proactive about their health and never hesitate to get screened.
Before my seventh deployment, this one to Jordan, I started noticing blood in my stool. Concerned, I told my officer in command but was told to “suck it up and drive on.” That’s what many of us do: push through and keep going. But the bleeding got worse. I confided in my sister, who urged me to get checked. When I went to the base medical center, I was told I was too young for a colonoscopy. But deep down, I knew something was wrong, so I kept pushing until I was finally referred to a civilian doctor.
I had the colonoscopy on a Friday, planning to deploy the following Tuesday. That weekend, the doctor called me back in. The results showed Stage 3 colon cancer. Everything stopped. Within days, I began radiation and chemotherapy, followed by surgery to remove part of my colon and give me a colostomy bag while I healed. Months later, surgeons performed another procedure so I could resume normal bowel function.
Today, I’m cancer-free. It wasn’t easy, but I’m grateful to be here. Looking back, I can’t help but think my cancer might have been caught sooner if easier, routine screening options had been available.
The good news is that now they are. New innovations, including a simple blood test called Shield, recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration, are making colorectal cancer screening more accessible. It’s covered by Medicare and available through the VA Community Care Network, helping veterans and service members get tested without unnecessary barriers.
Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men, but it’s also one of the most preventable when caught early. To my fellow veterans and service members: Don’t wait. Talk to your doctor, learn about your options and get screened. This is one mission that could save your life.
First Sgt. MATTHEW VITALE
Missouri National Guard
Lebanon, Missouri
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