Colon cancer was once considered an “old people’s disease.”

Not anymore.

Over the last 30 years, the incidence of colorectal cancer has increased by 50% among people under 50, according to 2024 research from the American Cancer Society The long-term prognosis is equally sobering: It is predicted to be the leading cause of cancer death for people under 50 by 2030.

By “the grace of God through prayers, family and friends,” Stockton’s Shawna Brown survived a colon cancer diagnosis in her late 40s. Then she set out to do something to promote awareness, prevention and early detection in her community with the Crush Colon Cancer run/walk.

The third annual event brought together about 200 people outside City Hall on March 29 for a race that looped under Interstate 5 on Weber Avenue and finished on Civic Street. The race had previously been staged at Victory Park but moved this year for increased visibility.

Moises Resuello, a 39-year-old gastroenterology nurse, was especially motivated for his first race.

“I work with endoscopy and colon cancer, Doctors Hospital of Manteca. So It’s near and dear to my heart, so I felt like I needed to participate.”

His partner, Mike Congrave, added, “I think most people probably don’t think about colon screenings or colon cancer until their doctors are like making them do it, you know? So it’s just good to even have it in the back of their minds.”

That’s increasingly important as “cancer is becoming younger,” said Alexander Rakul, chief administrative officer of Kaiser Permanente.

“Now detection is from 40 years old and up,” Rakul told Stocktonia.

“It’s more for, you know, the kids to come out and have fun, but then kind of hear a little bit about it, right?” Brown said. “When kids are talking about it to another child, then you know they’re more receptive.”

At the race, Kaiser volunteers displayed fecal immunochemical test kits, or F.I.T kits, which are mail-in kits used for detecting colon cancer.

“Basically what it is, you scoop a little piece of your stool, send it by mail, and it detects blood in stool and that’s an early detection,” Rakul said. “And that’s Shawna’s story … She’s an example of how it works.”

From the steps of City Hall, Brown spoke directly to the crowd of runners and families, delivering a call to action.

“Get screened on time, right? When the F.I.T test comes in the mail, don’t ignore it,” she said. “Get it done, right? Don’t be afraid because it will save your life and saved mine, right?”

Health educator Raquel Moreno also advised eating more whole foods like grains and beans, while reducing consumption of processed foods.

“Seventy-percent of your immune cells are in your gut, so just think about that,” she stressed.

The event was organized and timed by Skedaddle LLC. Sponsors included Adventist Health, San Joaquin Pride Center, Health Plan of San Joaquin and United Way.

Crush Colon Cancer was established in 2022 to “raise and direct funds to colon cancer medical advances being developed at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,” according to its website. 

The nonprofit foundation has raised about $400,000 of its $1 million goal to support colon cancer research.