Most graduate students are busy planning for life beyond college, especially if that life involves marriage just months after graduation.
Instead, 25-year-old Colton Reed is battling testicular cancer.
“It’s definitely been a journey,” Reed shared as he underwent his fourth round of chemotherapy at UNC Rex.
Reed first discovered a lump when he was 22 years old.
“Being a little stubborn, also as a guy, I kind of waited a little bit and was like, ‘Maybe it’s nothing,’” he said. “You never want to hear, ‘You have cancer.’
Reed was then taking classes at Liberty University. He had also recently started dating his now-wife, Ellie.
A biopsy revealed he had embryonal carcinoma. It is an aggressive form of testicular cancer.
According to the American Cancer Society, embryonal carcinomas are the second most common type of testicular cancer, behind seminomas.
“I’ve had some symptoms, but still not as many as you would think,” Reed said. “With different cancers, things can be different, so I was happy to have discovered the area and brought it to my doctor. »
Reed’s initial treatment appeared to be successful, but last year he discovered he would need continued treatment.
The former collegiate athlete said his faith and close support from family and friends are what kept him going.
“When you hear, ‘You have cancer,’ it’s something that none of us have control over,” Reed said. “I think it was hard to understand at first. I had to kind of relinquish that control to Jesus Christ and rest in the fact that it was part of a bigger plan.
He continued, “Especially at a time when I was so young and still on a college campus, playing basketball there. Being young and active, it wasn’t something I wanted to hear. I definitely didn’t want to see this as a setback.
This week, Reed is celebrating a major milestone in his cancer journey: the end of chemotherapy treatments.
As he looks ahead to his future, including his first wedding anniversary, Reed hopes his story can encourage other young men to take charge of their health.
“You go through this and maybe your family members know you have it, but no one really sits down or if they get a diagnosis, they don’t really want to ask questions like ‘Hey, how is it? ‘was,'” Reed said.
He continued: “I know for me, especially the first time, it was very difficult for me to ask for help. This is something I learned during this second round and chemo.
Most types of testicular cancer have a favorable prognosis. When detected before it spreads, testicular cancer has a five-year survival rate of 99%.
Common signs of testicular cancer include swelling, lumps, dull aches, and pain in the groin area.
News Source : www.wral.com
Gn Health
