Young colon cancer survivor shares why he's running in Undy Run

Colon cancer is the third most common cancer.

More often, it's seen in adults over the age of 50, but doctors are seeing more cases in younger people.

This weekend in Philadelphia, thousands are expected to run or walk in their underwear to raise awareness and that includes one local survivor who shares his story to help others.

For months, Ed Yakacki knew something was wrong, but he was too embarrassed to mention it, even to his family.

"The bathroom issues, no one really talk about them too much," Ed said.

Fearing the discomfort, he didn't eat and lost more than 30 pounds.

When he finally sought help, the diagnosis was enough to knock the big man flat.

"It was advanced colorectal cancer, stage 4," Ed said.

"I was present when the doctor told us, and I couldn't talk to anyone for three or four days," his father Ed Yakacki Sr. said.

That was the day before Ed's 30th birthday, just the beginning of a two-year battle.

"Two different stints of the chemotherapy, about eight months, six weeks of radiation. I had to rest, get surgery, I had an obstruction," Ed said.

He finally recovered physically, but felt alone, not knowing other young survivors.

Then a friend took him to his first Undy Run & Walk.

"It really hit me hard how lucky I was, and that I should be doing something in the community to raise awareness," Ed said.

After that, Ed went full tilt, painting his body blue for one walk, getting sponsors, creating and selling hundreds of attention-getting t-shirts for other events.

Plus, he created a website 'Fightin 4 Blue' to connect survivors.

And he put his story into an arm full of tattoos.

Ed has also taken his frank talk about colon cancer to national conferences.

"I'm starting to reach other people that are newly diagnosed and trying to give them hope," Ed said.

Ed wants young people to be aware of warning signs because they aren't in the age group for regular colonoscopies.

The 'Undy Run' is this Saturday. It starts next to the Art Museum.

The Undy Run/Walk:

http://support.ccalliance.org/site/TR?fr_id=2210&pg=entry

More about colon cancer:

http://ccalliance.org/

Symptoms:

http://ccalliance.org/colorectal_cancer/symptoms.html