Colon Cancer Diagnosis Turns Omaha Man Into Advocate for Health Screenings

If you asked Carey Petersen five years ago how much energy he spent on his own preventative health, he’d tell you it wasn’t at the top of the list.

“I was one of those guys who wasn’t best at seeing their primary doctor on a regular basis,” he said.

These days, he doesn’t hesitate to see a doctor. Early detection — a colonoscopy — saved his life.

Carey was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer. Even without a family history, he urged his younger brother to get screened — his colon cancer was more advanced.

Both have recovered.

“The biggest change we’ve seen in 20-30 years is not because of better surgery or better chemo. It’s because of improved screening,” said George Dittrick, MD, surgical oncologist at Methodist Eastbrook Cancer Center.

WOWT: Colon Cancer Diagnosis Turns Omaha Man Into Advocate for Health Screenings