Stephanie Putney Adams
Point Pleasant, West Virginia
"In August of 2021, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. I was devastated, but I knew I had to fight to try and beat this horrible disease. So, with lots of prayers, I started my journey at Edwards Comprehensive Cancer Center (ECCC). I had eight rounds of chemo including 28 radiation treatments. I did have a colon resection which included an ileostomy for eight weeks. Thankfully, that was reversible. It's very important to have a positive outlook. Some days it was very hard, but I knew I couldn't give up. Going through this helped put my life in perspective. Until I was diagnosed with colorectal cancer, I was enjoying life and was pretty much carefree. Once I got sick and started treatments, it made me realize how fortunate I had been when everything was going well. Until you experience it and see what other people are going through, it's like you're oblivious to it. I was so thankful to have such a wonderful, caring group of professionals at ECCC. I was overwhelmed by the kindness of everyone involved with each visit. They helped make this journey a positive and successful experience. Thank the Lord, I am now cancer free. My hope is that people will take colorectal cancer more seriously and do the testing for early detection. If my story inspires and gives hope to just one person, it was worth it."