Stage 4 colon cancer survivor mission to save others

Posted 8:56 AM, March 3, 2017, by John Hopperstad/Seattle Q13 Fox TV, Updated at 09:33AM, March 6, 2017

 

Friday, March 3rd was National Dress in Blue Day, a day dedicated to raising awareness about colon cancer.

This comes at a time when statistics show more young people are being diagnosed with the disease.

Anita Mitchell, (video below) the woman behind the push to dress in blue is a stage 4 survivor, who has become an advocate for patients while helping to spread awareness of the 2nd most deadly cancer in the U.S.

“For me it was a gift because I have this whole new passion,” said Mitchell of her cancer diagnosis 12 years ago. “And this is my time to do this.”

Mitchell was just 41, and the mother of three young kids, when she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.

“I was scared to death. All of a sudden you have cancer and you find out it’s the last stage. I still had to raise my kids. I had to be there for my kids.”

By the time of her diagnosis, the disease had already spread to her lymph nodes and liver.

Doctors admit if the diagnosis came just a decade earlier, she would be looking at a death sentence.

“But that’s not the case anymore,” said Dr. Alessandro Fichera (pictured top left) with Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. “We have better tests and more effective chemotherapy, along with new surgical ways to address these disease.” Read more >>