Colon Cancer Survivor Warns Young People Not to Ignore this “Embarrassing” Early Symptom

At 14, Danielle Ripley-Burgess noticed small traces of blood in her stool. Too embarrassed to tell her parents, she convinced herself that something she had eaten was responsible. Now 42, the mother of two adopted children has survived colon cancer three times and is speaking about the warning sign she ignored for three years before seeking medical help.

Her story, detailed in an October 16 report by the Daily Mail, underscores the dangers of dismissing persistent rectal bleeding, particularly among teenagers and younger adults who may not consider themselves vulnerable to colorectal cancer.

Ripley-Burgess initially believed red food explained the alarming changes in her bowel movements. She responded by eliminating red foods from her diet, including pizza, strawberries, popsicles and Twizzlers.

"I thought that if I didn't eat anything red, maybe I wouldn't see red on my poop and that would solve my issues," she told the Daily Mail.

The blood persisted. By age 17, when the episodes became more frequent, she finally told her mother. Initially, her mother suspected hemorrhoids, which can cause rectal bleeding. However, Ripley-Burgess described seeing dark red and sometimes black stool, symptoms that warranted further investigation.

"I was embarrassed and afraid. I didn't want to push pause on my busy high school life. I didn't want to be a burden to my family, and I didn't want to talk about my body," she explained.

Weeks after her birthday in January 2001, Ripley-Burgess was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer. She underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery to remove the tumor.

Treatment also involved an oophoropexy, a procedure that temporarily repositions the ovaries to protect them from radiation exposure. Although doctors subsequently declared her in remission, the treatment meant she could not conceive naturally.

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In June 2009, at 25, Ripley-Burgess underwent a surveillance colonoscopy that revealed a polyp. A biopsy confirmed stage one colon cancer. By then, she was married, owned a home, and was planning to adopt a child.

"I thought cancer was a thing of my past and I had to reckon with it being a part of my future," she said.

Surgeons removed nearly all her colon, leaving approximately 13 inches. Subsequent annual colonoscopies monitored her condition.

Genetic testing following her second diagnosis revealed Lynch syndrome, an inherited or occasionally spontaneously occurring genetic condition that impairs DNA repair and increases the risk of colorectal and other cancers. Ripley-Burgess said she was the first member of her family diagnosed with the condition.

In 2023, aged 39, another surveillance colonoscopy detected polyps, raising concerns about a third cancer recurrence. She opted for a permanent ileostomy, allowing waste to leave her body through an opening in the abdomen. Surgeons removed her remaining colon, and pathology testing found stage one cancer confined to the removed tissue.

Because Lynch syndrome also increases the risk of uterine and ovarian cancers, she underwent a hysterectomy to reduce her future cancer risk.

Today, Ripley-Burgess is an author, speaker, and communications consultant. She and her husband, Michael, have been married for 20 years and adopted two children. She credits her husband, parents, step-parents, and friends with helping her through treatment and recovery.

"I'd advise people to open up and let others in," she said. "Don't go through hard things alone."

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Her experience comes amid growing concern over colorectal cancer in younger adults. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 158,850 Americans will be diagnosed in 2026, including 108,860 colon cancers and 49,990 rectal cancers.

From 2013 to 2022, incidence increased by 2.9% annually among adults under 50 and 0.4% among those aged 50 to 64. Researchers are investigating possible contributors, including dietary patterns, gut microbiome changes, and exposure to colibactin, a toxin produced by certain strains of E. coli. No single explanation has been established.

Risk factors include diets high in processed and red meat, obesity, physical inactivity, smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, family history, inherited genetic conditions, and inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Symptoms can include blood in the stool, persistent changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, fatigue and low iron levels. Although hemorrhoids and other conditions can also cause bleeding, persistent or unexplained symptoms deserve medical assessment.

The American Cancer Society recommends colorectal cancer screening for average-risk adults beginning at 45. People with symptoms or conditions such as Lynch syndrome may require earlier investigation and individualized surveillance.

For Ripley-Burgess, the lesson stretches back to age 14: embarrassment kept her silent, but speaking up could have brought answers sooner. Her experience underscores why unusual bowel symptoms should never be dismissed simply because someone is young.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Oct 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.