TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa man is warning others about the symptoms of rectal cancer after his diagnosis at the age of 35.
Alex Mojica said he brushed off symptoms until he could no longer ignore the pain.
He drove himself to the emergency room after experiencing abdominal pain.
"I drove myself to the hospital, almost crying. I could barely even drive there myself, but I made it," he said.
Once in the emergency room, he received a CT scan and later an MRI. Doctors discovered a mass and then scheduled him for a colonoscopy.
Dr. Elizabeth Myers, a colorectal surgeon at St. Joseph's Hospital, showed ABC Action News his colonoscopy results.
"Here's the tumor right here, occupying about 75% of the circumference of the wall of the rectum," said Dr. Myers as she pointed to the imaging.
Mojica went through radiation and chemotherapy and later needed surgery to remove the tumor.
He has no family in Florida, he said. The doctors and nurses at St. Joseph's Hospital turned into his friends and family.
At the same time, his 43-year-old sister was battling esophageal cancer and died in February.
"I couldn't be there for my sister because I was in my own battle. Sometimes I feel that guilt now that she's not here with me," he said.
Dr. Myers said she is seeing younger patients diagnosed with colon and rectal cancer. She believes diet is a factor.
"I think, in large part, we think it has to do with our diet and our environment. We are now in an era where we eat a lot of processed foods, processed meats, a lot of sugar, preservatives in our food," she said.
"In particular, in the Hispanic community, we definitely are seeing a rise in younger Hispanic folks, especially young Hispanic men, and I think that's a lot to do with the diet," said Myers.
She urges people never to ignore symptoms like weight loss, abdominal pain, changes in bowel habits, and seeing blood while using the restroom.
"It's easy to dismiss those symptoms and think, I'm young, and this couldn't possibly be more than just a hemorrhoid," said Dr. Myers.
Mojica wanted to share his story so others never lose hope or feel alone.
"You start treatment, you can't work. You get sick. Every other week, I'm in the hospital. I'm losing weight. You become a shell of yourself," said Mojica.
"Maybe if they hear my story and what I went through and how I overcame and still are overcoming my struggles, maybe I can give them a little bit of my strength," he added.
Mojica started a GoFundMe page. To learn more on how to support his journey, visit here.
To learn more about the symptoms of rectal cancer, visit here.
