Colorectal cancer survivor makes it his mission to educate people about the importance of getting an annual colonoscopy

Michael Ploch has made it his mission to educate people about the importance of taking colorectal cancer seriously and getting a colonoscopy on a routine basis. “If you don’t get an annual colonoscopy, what happened to me can happen to you,” Michael said. “I preach to everyone. I ask friends and co-workers if they have had a colonoscopy. I tell them that I don’t want them to go through what I went through.”

In March 2019, Michael discovered blood in his stool. His doctor advised a CT scan, which revealed a 2.5-centimeter mass in his colon. Michael was diagnosed with colorectal cancer at age 49 with no family history. He underwent two types of chemotherapy, radiation and two surgeries at Methodist Hospital Stone Oak. “I did not know what to expect and part of the treatment was really hard,” Michael said.

Since a portion of his rectum was removed, Michael had to wear an ostomy bag, which is an external medical device that collects bodily waste. Later, surgeons were able to re-connect his large intestine to what was left of his rectum. “If my tumor had been lower, I would have had to wear an ostomy bag for the rest of my life,” he explained.

“I never gave up,” said Michael, who went into remission in October 2019. “I kept living my life throughout the treatment from taking my wave runner out on the lake to attending the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. But I kept thinking that I would not have had to go through this treatment if I had been getting an annual colonoscopy.” Many people are not aware that colorectal cancer is completely preventable.

As he talks to people, he tries to understand why they won’t get a colonoscopy. “Some people are embarrassed to discuss it and have heard the tests are difficult or painful,” he said. “I remind them that screening is prevention. Polyps can be removed before they become cancerous, but a colonoscopy is necessary to find them.”

The American Cancer Society (ACS) has seen a rise in colorectal cancer among younger adults. Obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, heavy alcohol use and tobacco use may be contributing factors. As a result, ACS now recommends people start getting a routine colonoscopy at age 45 instead of age 50. “If I had a colonoscopy done at age 45, this would have all been prevented,” said Michael.