The cancer quietly killing young people

If more and more young people are dying of colorectal cancer, why aren’t we talking about it? Is it because we’re too ashamed of our bodies?

Rates of colorectal cancer are rising, especially for people under 50. But it’s hard to raise awareness for a cancer that a lot of us find hard to talk about. In a recent essay for The Cut, writer Laurie Abraham described her experience of colon cancer, which included a lot of embarrassment. Talking about your bowel movements is…not fun. Can you relate?

Today, Brittany is joined by Laurie and Dr. Kimmie Ng, Co-Director of the Colon and Rectal Cancer Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, to get into the cultural shame around how we talk about colon cancer – and how that extends to a lack of funding and research.

(0:00) Why colorectal cancer rates are rising in young people
(3:18) The environmental causes that lead to colon cancer
(7:08) How cultural shame about our bodies stops diagnoses
(10:30) What can listeners do to raise awareness?
(15:58) Racial disparities and ageism against young people
(20:48) Some exciting news!

Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse

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