Henk Warns: Colorectal Cancer Affects Young People Too!
It was while he was living an active life and enjoying a lovely holiday in the Sabie in June 2012, that Henk Ferreira started realising that his body wasn’t functioning as it is supposed to. After experiencing stomach problems and cramps for little while and realising that none of his prescribed medication was improving his symptoms, he went to a physician on the 28th of August. He was informed that all appeared to be in order.
Despite this diagnosis, Henk was not getting any better, so he went for a colonoscopy on the 6th of September and was told that they couldn’t insert the camera, as there was a growth in his colon. After going for an MRI and a CAT scan, a biopsy was performed on the 13th of September and it was confirmed that he had colorectal cancer. The cancer mass was so big, that he needed to start with radiotherapy immediately.
Henk comes from a healthy family, with no history of cancer. As a healthy 45 year old, cancer was not something that Henk thought he would experience in his life. His family and partner, Ilze, supported him and helped him cope with the disease. Ilze made sure they were informed about his cancer and what the treatment entailed. By being fully informed, they felt more in control of the situation.
After enduring 5 weeks of chemotherapy, Henk underwent surgery on the 10th of January 2013 in order to remove the cancer mass in his colon. The process was successful, and Henk is now in remission.
Colorectal cancer is a mystery to many people – Henk and Ilze have taken it upon themselves to make people more aware of it. They would like to dispel the myth that it is an old people’s disease – the symptoms of colorectal cancer have nothing to do with your age, anyone is susceptible!
Henk’s message to all people is that cancer can be beaten. It isn’t all about your doctor or the right medicine – but prevention remains the best cure. If you detect cancer early enough, it doesn’t have to become a big issue – awareness and early detection is key. Read more about colorectal cancer here…
