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In 2023, an emergency colonoscopy led to Michael's diagnosis of stage 3 cancer. Because of his experience, Michael Kathrens, 70, advocates for proactive health screenings and being an advocate for your own health.

Nellie Jo Gaston received a lifesaving surgery after an abnormal result from an at-home colon cancer screening test. After treatment at Saint Luke’s, she is cancer-free.

Jackson Auer was two days away from his 26th birthday when he was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer. 10 months later, Jackson is now cancer-free, newly engaged, and hoping to raise awareness of the disease.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month, and this week, we are talking with Sabrina Kidd, MD, about colon cancer screenings, treatments, and possible factors contributing to the rise in diagnoses among young adults.

The American Cancer Society recommends people who are at average risk of colorectal cancer start regular screenings at the age of 45. While a large majority of deaths related to the cancer could be prevented, many people have never been screened.

When Jackie, pictured with her son Brooks, was pregnant, she was diagnosed with Stage 4 chronic kidney disease. After Brooks was born and undergoing a kidney transplant, Jackie is back to enjoying life.

As a pastor in Chillicothe, Missouri, Jason Mosier, is used to encouraging others during difficult and trying times. He had no way of knowing a trip to the Hedrick Medical Center’s Emergency Department would lead him on one of the hardest journeys of his life.

What began as a middle-of-the-night trip to the bathroom turned into a nightmare—and then a miracle—for 83-year-old Chillicothe resident Shirley Eskew. After getting out of bed, Shirley slipped and fell. “I just hit the concrete hard,” she remembers. Things got blurry after that, but she did manage to call for help and get to the emergency room at Hedrick Medical Center.