The Importance of Regular Check-Ups
- Demoria Elise Williams, who is best known for her stage name Kornbread ‘The Snack’ Jeté and competing on the 14th season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, has opened up about being diagnosed with a type of cancer called adenocarcinoma.
- Now, the 30-year-old drag performer is urging people to get regular check-ups.
- Whether you are currently battling cancer or worried that you might have it, it's always important to advocate for your health. Cancer is an incredibly serious disease, and you have every right to insist that your doctors investigate any possible signs of cancer.
“I’ll cut straight to the point. Recently I was diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma. A type of Cancer in the Smaller intestine,” Kornbread explained in a statement shared via social media on Saturday.
Read MoreKornbread, a 30-year-old transgender woman, admitted that “a lot of health things will be changing” for her at this time.
The Drag Race cast member also noted that she’s grateful for all the support she’s been receiving and is “ready to get back to the stage again!”
Following her announcement, Kornbread received lots of praise and prayers, with one fellow drag queen commenting, “Sending you love and speedy healing, grateful it was caught early.”
The cancer news comes more than six months after Kornbread left Ru Paul’s Drag Race after injuring her ankle.
“It was a process, it was a journey, but I’ve had time to gather my thoughts on everything and figure out my next steps,” she previously told Entertainment Weekly. “I want to do more TV and movie appearances … I ain’t stopping here; I’m going to still act a fool on Twitter. I got nothing but time, now!”
According to EW, Kornbread has since been cast in Disney’s Hocus Pocus 2, where she and two other form Drag Racers will act as the drag version of Sanderson Sisters witches from the original movie.
What Is Small Bowel Cancer?
Small bowel cancer is a rare form of cancer that is found in the small intestine, which is also known as the small bowel, according to the Mayo Clinic. The small bowel is a long passageway that transports the digested food between your stomach and your colon, otherwise known as the large intestine. The small intestine works by digesting and taking in nutrients from the foods you eat.
The four types of small bowel cancer are adenocarcinoma, the one Kornbread has been diagnosed with, neuroendocrine tumors, lymphoma, and sarcoma.
Although doctors are not exactly sure what causes most small bowel cancers, there are a handful of signs and symptoms people should look out for.
The signs and symptoms of small bowel cancer include:
- Abdominal pain
- Yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice)
- Feeling unusually weak or tired
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Losing weight without trying
- Blood in the stool, which might appear red or black
- Watery diarrhea
Advocating for Your Health
Whether you are currently battling cancer or worried that you might have it, it's always important to advocate for your health. Cancer is an incredibly serious disease, and you have every right to insist that your doctors investigate any possible signs of cancer.
Be Pushy, Be Your Own Advocate… Don't Settle
"Every appointment you leave as a patient, there should be a plan for what the doc is going to do for you, and if that doesn't work, what the next plan is," Dr. Zuri Murrell, director of the Cedars-Sinai Colorectal Cancer Center, told SurvivorNet in a previous interview. "And I think that that's totally fair. And me as a health professional that's what I do for all of my patients."
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, April Knowles explained how she became a breast cancer advocate after her doctor dismissed the lump in her breast as a side effect of her menstrual period. Unfortunately, that dismissal was a mistake. Knowles was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer at age 39. She said the experience taught her the importance of listening to her body and speaking up when something doesn't feel right.
I Wanted My Doctor To Like Me, Then He Missed My Breast Cancer
"I wanted my doctor to like me," she said. "I think women, especially young women, are really used to being dismissed by their doctors."
Figuring out whether or not you actually have cancer based on possible symptoms is critical because early detection may help with treatment and outcomes. Seeking multiple opinions is one way to ensure you're getting the care and attention you need.
Another thing to remember is that not all doctors are in agreement. Recommendations for further testing or treatment options can vary, and sometimes it's essential to talk with multiple medical professionals.
Contributing: SurvivorNet Staff
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