In 1998, I was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer. It had already spread and the statistics were sobering. Long-term survival was not existent.But hope was not finished with me.Nearly three decades later, I am still here and that is not just survival — it is responsibility.Why March MattersColorectal cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United States.Even more alarming — diagnoses in younger adults are rising. This was an unheard of phenomenon when I was diagnosed.Metastatic patients often feel unseen in broader awareness campaigns.Stage IV is different. The decisions are different. The urgency is different.That is why I helped create Say YES to Hope.Our mission to support metastatic cancer patients is the driving force behind National Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Awareness Day — to ensure metastatic patients are recognized, prioritized, and empowered.When I was diagnosed in 1998, there was no clear guide; no centralized education on:✔ Biomarker and molecular testing✔ Precision therapies✔ Liver-directed treatment options✔ Clinical trials✔ Multidisciplinary collaboration✔ Questions patients should askSo we built what I wish had existed.The Metastatic Colorectal Cancer RoadMap gives patients clarity in chaos.It transforms fear into informed action.Because knowledge changes outcomes.Hope Is Not Naïve — It Is StrategicHope is asking about biomarker testing.Hope is seeking second opinions.Hope is building a multidisciplinary treatment team.Hope is understanding every available option.Hope is saying YES — even when statistics whisper no.From a diagnosis in 1998, my survival story became a mission:No metastatic patient should feel alone.No patient should miss an option because they didn’t know to ask.This month, I ask you to:💙 Get screened💙 Know your risk💙 Demand comprehensive biomarker testing💙 Support metastatic patients💙 Share resources💙 Say Yes to HopeBecause colorectal cancer is treatable.Metastatic colorectal cancer is treatable.And survival stories are still being written.Mine began in 1998.And it is still unfolding.With gratitude and unwavering hope,Suzanne#ColorectalCancerAwarenessMonth #MetastaticCRC #NationalMetastaticCRCDay #SayYesToHope #ifcancerspreads#BlueForCRC #KnowYourBiomarkers #HopeLivesHere#metastaticcolorectalcancerroadmap#marchiscolorectalcanceraearenessmonth... See MoreSee Less
Supporting someone living with cancer doesn’t require a medical degree.It requires heart. 💛Here are 3 meaningful things anyone can do to support someone navigating cancer:1️⃣ Listen without trying to fix.Sometimes the greatest gift is simply being present.2️⃣ Show up consistently.A text. A meal. A ride. A reminder they’re not alone.3️⃣ Learn and advocate.Understand their diagnosis. Support research. Speak up for patient-centered care.Small actions create powerful impact.At Say Yes to Hope, we believe community changes everything.Let’s be the kind of support we would want for ourselves.Tag someone who shows up for others in the comments. You can learn more at SayYesToHope.org#SayYesToHope #CancerSupport #CommunityMatters #MetastaticCancer #AdvocacyInAction#survivor#SayYEStoHope #MetastaticCancer #cancer #Hope #patient#caregiving#CaregivingJourney#caregivingjourneyandstory ... See MoreSee Less
💛 When colorectal cancer spreads to the liver, options matterSome patients may benefit from liver-directed treatments like Y-90 radioembolization, which targets tumors inside the liver.You can ask your care team:• Is my cancer mainly in the liver?• Am I a candidate for Y-90?• Should I see an interventional radiologist?• Can this be combined with my current treatment?Y-90 may help some patients shrink tumors, control liver disease, and create new possibilities — even when other treatments have been tried.💛 At SayYesToHope.org, we believe every patient deserves to know ALL potential options.For Suzanne Martin, this treatment wasn’t just another therapy — now she spells HOPE: S-I-R-S-P-H-E-R-E-S.💛 Hope grows when options grow.#SayYesToHope #ColorectalCancer #LiverMetastases #KnowYourOptions#Y90#CancerSupport#multidisciplinary#treatmentteam#interventionalradiologist... See MoreSee Less
