A 24-Year-Old Was Diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. She Says She Nearly Missed Her 1 Symptom

A 24-year-old teacher from Southern California is sharing her story after being diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer — a diagnosis she nearly missed because she had only one symptom: blood in her stool. Now, she’s urging other young people not to ignore warning signs.

Meagan Meadows, a student teacher, noticed a small amount of blood after using the bathroom, she told Business Insider. At first, she assumed it was caused by stress, diet, or even hemorrhoids. When she mentioned it to friends, they encouraged her to see a doctor.

Her initial tests and scans came back mostly normal, except for a thickened intestinal wall — often linked to dehydration or low fiber intake. Doctors recommended a colonoscopy, which Meadows nearly canceled. “There’s no way I have anything going on,” she recalled thinking. “I felt so embarrassed because clearly I was fine.”

The procedure revealed a walnut-sized tumor in her colon. A biopsy confirmed it was cancer, and further tests showed it had spread to nearby lymph nodes, leading to her stage 3 diagnosis.

“It was difficult to process,” she told Business Insider.

Meadows explained that the bleeding she noticed was minimal and inconsistent. “It wasn’t in concerning amounts; it wasn’t there every time. I almost never noticed it,” she said, adding that she had always imagined blood in stool would look far more obvious.

“Obviously, no one wants to talk about their poop,” she said. “But it’s always better to get checked.”

Since her diagnosis, Meadows has been covered under her parents’ health insurance for surgery and chemotherapy. But one major financial burden has been fertility preservation treatment, which doctors advised because chemotherapy can affect fertility. The cost is around $10,000 and not covered by insurance.

“I went from being a normal 24-year-old to now having to plan for something I wasn’t even considering for years,” she said. “I didn’t expect I’d have to try to protect that at this age.”

Because she can’t work in schools during treatment, a friend launched a GoFundMe to help with expenses.

“Chemo definitely takes a toll on you, mentally and physically,” Meadows said. “And it’s hard knowing there’s not a 100% chance it won’t come back. I’m just taking it one day at a time and trying to enjoy what I can.”

She’s been supported throughout by her family, friends, boyfriend, and her newly adopted cocker spaniel mix, Hughes. “If I didn’t have him, there would be days I didn’t leave the house,” she said.

Meadows has also been documenting her journey on TikTok, hoping it will encourage other young people to pay closer attention to possible symptoms.

“If I would have known that so many young people were getting diagnosed with colon cancer, I would have taken the symptom more seriously,” she said.

According to MD Anderson Cancer Center, rectal bleeding is the most common symptom of colon cancer in people under 50. Other signs include abdominal pain, changes in bathroom habits, bloating, unexplained weight loss, vomiting, fatigue, and shortness of breath, per the Cleveland Clinic.