GREENSBORO, N.C. — At this time last year, WFMY News 2 evening anchor Julie Luck started chemotherapy after she was diagnosed with colon cancer.
She was vocal about her battle from the very start to raise awareness about the importance of screenings. She's now cancer-free with a mission during remission: to help save lives. She recently met some people impacted by cancer screenings.
Elizabeth Pacheco Rose is a recent colon cancer survivor. The opera singer and voice professor at Wake Forest University was diagnosed last year at the age of 46. The mother of three never expected the news when she got a routine colonoscopy.
"If they were going to find anything, I thought it was going to be minor, not cancer," she said.
Pacheco Rose was declared cancer-free after surgery. Doctors determined there was no need for chemotherapy or radiation to treat her stage 2 cancer.
"I know how lucky I am," she said.
When caught early, the colon cancer survival rate is at least 90% which is why doctors stress the importance of preventative screening starting at 45 to find and remove abnormal tissue known as polyps. 60% of all colorectal cancer deaths could have been prevented with screenings.
"Things like breast cancer and in this case, colon cancer are preventable because we can do a test before it progresses to cancer and be on top of the game," explained Dr. David Castaneda with the Reidsville Clinic for Gastrointestinal Diseases.
Colonoscopies are the gold standard but at-home screenings like Cologuard and FIT (fecal immunochemical tests) are also options but you should contact your doctor for direction. Cologuard can detect certain DNA markers and blood in the stool while FIT can detect bleeding in the digestive tract
An at-home test is what led Julie Luck to her journey. Her FIT results came back abnormal. A colonoscopy, resection surgery, and biopsy confirmed she had stage 3A colon cancer. Since the disease spread to some lymph nodes, she underwent four rounds of chemo and infusions. She's shared her journey while undergoing treatment to inspire others to get tested.
"There's a saying. Don't waste your cancer. That struck a chord with me. If I can encourage more people to get screened, and those screenings save lives, that's me not wasting my cancer," said Luck while undergoing a chemotherapy infusion in May of 2022.
Luck was shocked by the diagnosis because she had no symptoms or family history. Her message to get screened isn't falling on deaf ears.
"People are coming in saying doc I was reluctant to have my colonoscopy, but I'm going to have it done now because I don't want the same thing to happen to me. I saw Julie Luck's story and what she's been through and I don't want that to happen to me," said Dr. Henry Danis, gastroenterologist with LeBauer Gastroenterology in Greensboro.
Countless people have reached out to Julie. Kevin Elwood posted, "Your announcement finally gave me the push to make that call for my colonoscopy. Thank you for setting the example!" Debbie Malloy posted, "I'm in my early 50's, I've put it off for a while. Thanks for the wake-up call. I made my appointment today." Gerald Hicks messaged, "There is no telling how many lives your colonoscopy story has saved. I know I'm one of them."
Luck's diagnosis also prompted 52-year-old Tammy Stewart from Alamance County to get tested.
"I said, 'I'm going do this'. If Julie Luck can do this, then I can go and have a colonoscopy and I did," said Stewart.
The mother of two had no symptoms or family history. During her colonoscopy, the doctor removed nine polyps. Four of them were precancerous.
"I would probably have cancer now. and I owe it all to you that I don't and I thank you," she said.
Stewart is now a strong advocate for screenings, as is Pacheco Rose. Her tune now carries the message of gratitude and a new perspective.
"I was so ambitious and I want to do everything before and I realize that other things are more important than that," said Pacheco Rose.
Julie Luck will soon walk and run to spread awareness. She will emcee the Get Your Rear in Gear 5k in Winston-Salem, organized by the Colon Cancer Coalition. Hundreds of survivors and supporters are expected at Jamison Park on Saturday, March 25 starting at 9 a.m. Money raised will provide education, screenings, and medication assistance associated with colon cancer.