Pursuing Dreams with Stage Four Cancer
- Jennifer Inzana was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in October 2019.
- But with the help of her husband, Inzana became determined to pursue her dreams regardless of a tough prognosis. They are working to open a low-cost mobile clinic to help feral cats and animal owners who can’t afford trips to the vet.
- Colorectal cancer can be prevented with proper screening because it allows doctors to find and remove polyps, or abnormal lumps, before they turn cancerous.
Inzana, founder of the nonprofit Feral Advocates & Cat Trappers Inc. and president of the South Shore Humane Society, has always wanted to launch a low-cost mobile clinic to help feral cats and animal owners who can’t afford trips to the vet.
Read More“He’s been my rock and keeps me going,” Inzana said of her husband. “On dark days, he tells me, ‘You are going to have this clinic. You can’t let cancer get the best of you.'”
The couple began a campaign on FundRazr to help cover costs for supplies to get the clinic up and running including dental and X-ray equipment. So far, they’ve raised just over half of their $30,000 goal.
“We help hundreds of cats and dogs a year right now on the South Shore, and we want to make it thousands,” Inzana wrote on her FundRazr page. “Can you help?”
Understanding Colon Cancer
Colon cancer, sometimes referred to as colorectal cancer, is a type of cancer that affects your large intestine (colon) or the end of your intestine (rectum). The cancer develops when abnormal lumps called polyps grow in the colon or rectum. It takes up to 10 years for a colon polyp to actually become cancer, according to SurvivorNet experts, so following recommended screening guidelines usually gives your doctor enough time to remove any polyps before they become cancerous.
Colon Cancer Screening is Extremely Important; Guidelines Now Say to Start at Age 45 if There Is No Family History
Overall, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women in the United States, but it can be prevented with proper screening. As far as causes are concerned, there is still much research to be done, but experts point to certain risk factors such as diet, smoking tobacco, being obese, drinking alcohol and having a family history of colorectal cancer as factors that can increase a person’s risk for the disease.
Jennifer Inzana has stage four colorectal cancer. In other words, her colon cancer is metastatic, meaning the tumor has spread outside the colon. For Inzana, her cancer spread to her liver. Treatment options for this type of colon cancer can include chemotherapy alone or a combination of chemotherapy and surgery depending on the patient, tumor properties and where the metastases are located. Immunotherapy treatment is also a possibility for some patients.
Treating Stage Four Colon Cancer
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.