{"id":39590,"date":"2022-05-25T10:18:11","date_gmt":"2022-05-25T16:18:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=39590"},"modified":"2024-07-18T14:42:38","modified_gmt":"2024-07-18T20:42:38","slug":"colon-cancer-awareness-through-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/colon-cancer-awareness-through-art\/","title":{"rendered":"Sparking colon cancer awareness through art"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_39617\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39617\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39617\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105626\/PriscillaGonzalez1-tiny.webp\" alt=\"Priscilla Gonzalez holding a metalsmith torch. Her art demonstrates her efforts for colon cancer awareness.\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105626\/PriscillaGonzalez1-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105626\/PriscillaGonzalez1-tiny-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105626\/PriscillaGonzalez1-tiny-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105626\/PriscillaGonzalez1-tiny-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105626\/PriscillaGonzalez1-tiny-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39617\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Priscilla Gonzalez is a metalsmith, and she has used her battle with cancer to inspire her art and bring awareness to colon cancer. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Editor&#8217;s note: This story was first published May 20, 2021.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Among the chicken, vegetables and fruit in Priscilla Gonzalez\u2019s freezer is a tiny section of her colon, placed in a plastic container and secured in a freezer bag. While this may be exceptionally contrary to the norm, this little piece of her body serves a powerful symbol of her triumph over colon cancer and awareness to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/five-symptoms-to-never-ignore\/\">never ignore her body<\/a> again.<\/p>\n<p>Even more unorthodox, Gonzalez, a metalsmith artist, plans to dehydrate that piece of her colon and set it in a ring that she\u2019ll wear.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAny hardship is great for an artist \u2014 a source of inspiration,\u201d said Gonzalez, who graduated with honors from Colorado State University with a bachelor\u2019s in <a href=\"https:\/\/catalog.colostate.edu\/general-catalog\/colleges\/liberal-arts\/art-history\/art-major-bfa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Art Education<\/a> while battling cancer.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-callout-box col-xs-12 col-sm-6 right\" style=\"background-color:#dce4e7; color:#2e3b44;\">\n<p><strong>Home run derby for a great cause<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Priscilla Gonzalez will join Denver Broncos players, journalists and UCHealth patients for the 4<sup>th<\/sup> Annual UCHealth Healthy Swings event beginning at 4 p.m. June 7, 2022 at Coors Field.<\/p>\n<p>For every type of hit, UCHealth will donate money to the American Cancer Society.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Hit: $50<\/li>\n<li>Targets: $1,000 and $2,500<\/li>\n<li>Home run: $3,000<\/li>\n<li>Hit the Mitt Home Run Sign: $5,000<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p>Gonzalez said she is sharing her story in hopes that it will provide an even stronger message that may save someone else from similar throes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf I can save someone from this journey, then it will be worth it,\u201d Gonzalez said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Don\u2019t ignore the signs of health problems<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In late 2019, Gonzalez <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/diseases-conditions\/colon-cancer\/symptoms-and-faqs\/\">started to feel \u201cnot right<\/a>.\u201d She was bloated and uncomfortable much of the time. Thinking it might be a dairy allergy, she changed her diet. When that didn\u2019t work, she tried other home remedies but nothing seemed to help. In the back of her mind, she knew she should <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/schedule-appointment\/\">see a doctor<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_39621\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39621\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39621\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105645\/PriscillaGonzalez5-tiny.webp\" alt=\"Priscilla Gonzalez holding a metalsmith torch. Her art demonstrates her efforts for colon cancer awareness.\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105645\/PriscillaGonzalez5-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105645\/PriscillaGonzalez5-tiny-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105645\/PriscillaGonzalez5-tiny-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105645\/PriscillaGonzalez5-tiny-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105645\/PriscillaGonzalez5-tiny-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39621\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Despite getting treatment for colon cancer, Priscilla Gonzalez continued her art education at CSU and graduated this spring. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI kept putting it off \u2014 and then COVID hit and the appointment I finally made was canceled,\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cI thought it would just resolve.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At least hoped so; she didn\u2019t have time for the inconvenience. Gonzalez was busy finishing her arts degree at Colorado State University. She\u2019s also a wife and mom to two sons, Benjamin, 11, and Emmanuel, 13.<\/p>\n<p>When Summer 2020 arrived, pandemic restrictions became an opportunity for Gonzalez to enjoy her family and focus on art and school.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_39618\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39618\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39618\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105631\/PriscillaGonzalez2-tiny.webp\" alt=\"Priscilla Gonzalez doing metalsmithing. Her art demonstrates her efforts for colon cancer awareness.\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105631\/PriscillaGonzalez2-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105631\/PriscillaGonzalez2-tiny-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105631\/PriscillaGonzalez2-tiny-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105631\/PriscillaGonzalez2-tiny-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105631\/PriscillaGonzalez2-tiny-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39618\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Priscilla Gonzalez is passionate about metalsmithing and didn&#8217;t let colon cancer treatment get in the way of getting her fine art degree, focused on education. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cAs a family, we are nerdy,\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cThe kids are into comic books and Star Wars. We love music and the arts and love watching movies together \u2014 all the superhero and Star Wars movies.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In late August 2020, \u2018<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-us-canada-53955912\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Black Panther\u2019 star Chadwick Boseman died<\/a> of colon cancer at age 43. With the death of such a young man to cancer, Gonzalez couldn&#8217;t help but think of her mortality \u2014 and the pain that consumed her gut.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe was so strong. He was a superhero in the movies, and I haven\u2019t even gotten this checked out.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>When do I need a colonoscopy?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Gonzalez already knew plenty about digestive issues and colonoscopies. Her youngest son had digestive issues at a young age and had already had five colonoscopies.<\/p>\n<p>She had never had a colonoscopy. At only 39 years old, she had no reason to believe she needed to. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cancer.org\/cancer\/colon-rectal-cancer\/detection-diagnosis-staging\/acs-recommendations.html\">American Cancer Society<\/a> recommends that people at average risk of colorectal cancer start regular screenings at age 45.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-callout-box col-xs-12 col-sm-6 right\" style=\"background-color:#dce4e7; color:#2e3b44;\">\n<h3><strong>What is considered \u201caverage risk\u201d for colorectal cancer?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li>DO NOT have a personal history of colorectal cancer or certain types of polyps.<\/li>\n<li>DO NOT have a family history of colorectal cancer.<\/li>\n<li>DO NOT have a personal history of inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn\u2019s disease).<\/li>\n<li>DO NOT have a confirmed or suspected hereditary colorectal cancer syndrome, such as familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) or Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer or HNPCC).<\/li>\n<li>Do NOT have a personal history of getting radiation to the abdomen or pelvic area to treat prior cancer.<\/div><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Her paternal grandmother\u2019s sister died of colon cancer years ago, but that\u2019s not a first-degree relative so Gonzalez figured it wasn&#8217;t reason enough for an early colonoscopy screening.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Family history, cancer screenings and why it matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Family members may share genes, habits and environments, so considering your \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/cancer\/risk-factors\/family-health-history.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">family health history<\/a>\u201d is important to your overall health care plan, said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/douglas-j-kemme-md-internal-medicine-medical-oncology\/\">Dr. Douglas Kemme<\/a>, an oncologist with UCHealth in northern Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>Doctors know that a family history of breast, ovarian, uterine or colorectal cancer increases risk for such diseases. There are parameters to consider, so tell your doctor if:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Any first-degree relative, such as a parent, sibling or child, was diagnosed with any of these cancers before the age of 50.<\/li>\n<li>Two or more other relatives, such as grandparents, aunts, nephews, on either your mother\u2019s or father\u2019s side have had any of these cancers.<\/li>\n<li>A male relative had breast cancer.<\/li>\n<li>You have an Eastern European or Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.\n<figure id=\"attachment_39599\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39599\" style=\"width: 290px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39599 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160337\/Priscilla-art3-tiny.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"290\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160337\/Priscilla-art3-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160337\/Priscilla-art3-tiny-290x300.webp 290w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160337\/Priscilla-art3-tiny-768x794.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160337\/Priscilla-art3-tiny-145x150.webp 145w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160337\/Priscilla-art3-tiny-200x207.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 290px) 100vw, 290px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39599\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of Priscilla&#8217;s art pieces. Photo courtesy of Priscilla Gonzalez.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Gonzalez\u2019s mother and her grandmother are both uterine cancer survivors. She knew she was at higher risk and therefore made sure she kept up her annual female wellness checks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI had feared uterine cancer, but never had I thought I would have colon cancer,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>She began to see blood in her stool.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A colon cancer diagnosis<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>It was October 2020 when her husband, Arturo, finally convinced her to see a doctor. Gonzalez\u2019s energy was low, she\u2019d been seeing blood in her stool for more than a month and was extremely bloated. She went to the student clinic on campus at CSU where they drew her blood.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_39600\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39600\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39600\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160345\/Priscilla-graduation-tiny.webp\" alt=\"Priscilla Gonzalez with her family at her CSU graduation. \" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160345\/Priscilla-graduation-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160345\/Priscilla-graduation-tiny-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160345\/Priscilla-graduation-tiny-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160345\/Priscilla-graduation-tiny-150x84.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160345\/Priscilla-graduation-tiny-200x113.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39600\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Priscilla Gonzalez with her family at her CSU graduation. Photo courtesy of Priscilla Gonzalez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Before Gonzalez could make it home, the clinic\u2019s physician called her. She needed to go to the emergency room \u2014 her blood count was extremely low; she may need a blood transfusion.<\/p>\n<p>Gonzalez rushed home to tell her family of the emergency. Her younger son was worried: \u201cDon\u2019t tell me you have cancer,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, no, honey. I\u2019m just getting it checked out. Don\u2019t worry about it,\u201d Gonzalez recalled of her conversation with her son. \u201cThen, I had to go home and tell him that is exactly what it was.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She\u2019ll never forget the date of her diagnosis: Oct. 22, 2020.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNever in a million years would I have thought that is what it would be,\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cYou need to take the signs seriously.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Options for colon cancer<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Gonzalez met with Kemme to discuss her options.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe was in the early stages of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/diseases-conditions\/colon-cancer\/\">colon cancer<\/a> so there was a good chance of being cured with surgery alone,\u201d Kemme said. \u201cBut we talked about it, and she agreed to take some treatment to improve her odds.\u201d<div class=\"su-pullquote su-pullquote-align-right\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/being-diagnosed-with-colon-cancer-now-what\/\">Read this story<\/a> of a man who defeated stage 4 colon cancer.<\/div>\n<p>Gonzalez opted for surgery with the addition of adjuvant therapy \u2014 treatment to keep cancer from returning.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Sometimes there are microscopic diseases that we can&#8217;t see,&#8221; Kemme said. &#8220;By taking medication chemotherapy, we hope to eradicate that disease.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_39619\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39619\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39619\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105635\/PriscillaGonzalez3-tiny.webp\" alt=\"Priscilla Gonzalez doing metalsmithing. Her art demonstrates her efforts for colon cancer awareness.\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105635\/PriscillaGonzalez3-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105635\/PriscillaGonzalez3-tiny-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105635\/PriscillaGonzalez3-tiny-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105635\/PriscillaGonzalez3-tiny-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105635\/PriscillaGonzalez3-tiny-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39619\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Priscilla Gonzalez works on an art project at CSU. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Before surgery, Gonzalez had two iron infusions to help battle anemia. She had to do bowel prep, and could not eat a day before the surgery on Nov. 13 (Friday the 13<sup>th<\/sup> is now her lucky day) at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-medical-center-of-the-rockies\/\">UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies<\/a> and the day after.<\/p>\n<p>With seven abdominal incisions, swelling and pain, she spent three days recuperating after surgery in the hospital. She had to avoid high-fiber foods to get her digestive system back on track. She was concerned about being in pain and disrupting the incision in her colon if she wasn&#8217;t careful enough with her diet.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI couldn\u2019t wear normal pants for about a month after surgery, so lots of pajama and yoga pants \u2014 that was fun,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>On Dec. 28, 2020, she started a three-month regimen of chemotherapy.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Continuing with life while treating cancer<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Gonzalez was determined not to give up on her dream of being an art teacher just because she had cancer.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_39597\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39597\" style=\"width: 300px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39597 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160328\/Priscilla-art1-tiny.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"184\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160328\/Priscilla-art1-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160328\/Priscilla-art1-tiny-300x184.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160328\/Priscilla-art1-tiny-768x470.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160328\/Priscilla-art1-tiny-150x92.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160328\/Priscilla-art1-tiny-200x123.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39597\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of Priscilla&#8217;s art pieces. Photo courtesy of Priscilla Gonzalez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI was on my second-to-last semester \u2014 I can\u2019t stop now,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Her professors were supportive and allowed her to student teach virtually to protect her delicate immune system. COVID-19 added another level of concern so she ordered the family\u2019s groceries, stayed home with her family and only went out for appointments and treatment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI knew I needed to recuperate, get chemo and surgery out of the way. That took priority,\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cI put on my mask and hand sanitizer \u2014 I didn\u2019t have time to be afraid.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She finished her third round of chemotherapy on March 15, 2021 and graduated from CSU on April 7.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Finding the strength to battle cancer<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_39598\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39598\" style=\"width: 400px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39598\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160332\/Priscilla-art2-tiny.webp\" alt=\"metal art piece with butterflies\" width=\"400\" height=\"544\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160332\/Priscilla-art2-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160332\/Priscilla-art2-tiny-221x300.webp 221w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160332\/Priscilla-art2-tiny-753x1024.webp 753w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160332\/Priscilla-art2-tiny-768x1044.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160332\/Priscilla-art2-tiny-110x150.webp 110w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/10160332\/Priscilla-art2-tiny-200x272.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39598\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">One of Priscilla&#8217;s metalsmithing pieces. Photo courtesy of Priscilla Gonzalez.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Gonzalez has always found comfort in art. She has incorporated monarch butterflies into many of her creations, representing her strong Mexican-American heritage and her parents\u2019 immigration to a new country.<\/p>\n<p>Now, the symbolic insect also represents Gonzalez\u2019s journey through colon cancer. She likens it to the transformation of a caterpillar. At first, she was challenged to listen to her body\u2019s concerning health symptoms. Then she had to form a cocoon, protecting her body from the cancerous disease by surrounding herself with a strong health care team and loving friends and family. Now, she\u2019s emerging from that cocoon, looking to spread her wings, using past experience to enrich her life and the lives of those around her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cArt is such an outlet for expression, for communicating who I am; my identity without words \u2026 that\u2019s the power of art,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Along the way, family and friends provided great strength. A counselor told her after her diagnosis that she could choose to be private about her diagnosis, but if she chose to share it, she would be amazed by the outpouring of support.<\/p>\n<p>After telling her immediate family, she posted news of her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/diseases-conditions\/colon-cancer\/diagnosis-and-staging\/\">colon cancer diagnosis<\/a> on Facebook.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe outpouring of support was like I never imaged,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s what kept us going \u2014 all that positivity from the beginning.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gonzalez said it also triggered her desire to help raise awareness.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Raising colon cancer awareness<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_39620\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-39620\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-39620\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105640\/PriscillaGonzalez4-tiny.webp\" alt=\"Priscilla Gonzalez doing metalsmithing. Her art demonstrates her efforts for colon cancer awareness.\" width=\"640\" height=\"426\" srcset=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105640\/PriscillaGonzalez4-tiny.webp 800w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105640\/PriscillaGonzalez4-tiny-300x200.webp 300w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105640\/PriscillaGonzalez4-tiny-768x512.webp 768w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105640\/PriscillaGonzalez4-tiny-150x100.webp 150w, https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2021\/05\/11105640\/PriscillaGonzalez4-tiny-200x133.webp 200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-39620\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Priscilla Gonzalez works on an art project at CSU. She incorporates awareness about colon cancer in her metalsmithing art. Photo by Joel Blocker, for UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>\u201cI never thought that (colon cancer) is what was wrong with me,\u201d she explained. \u201cYou have to listen to your bodies, watch for the red flags, stay on top of your screenings, get checked out for what runs in the family. I posted all the things that I\u2019ve gone through, even the embarrassing ones. If I can save someone from this journey, it will be worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Kemme echoes her sentiment.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPatients need to be their own advocates,\u201d he said. \u201cThe challenges are that when young people like Priscilla have symptoms, cancer doesn\u2019t come top of mind so care can be delayed. But practitioners need to keep it on the radar, and if their doctor isn\u2019t listening to them, then get another doctor. If you have symptoms, you need to address them. Bring them up to your physician and make sure they\u2019re listening and reacting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Gonzalez is glad she finally listened to her body and found a health care team to support her because colon cancer wasn\u2019t the only thing she had to consider. During her cancer journey, a genetic test revealed she had a 42% chance of uterine cancer. Having battled one cancer, she wasn\u2019t going to risk another. This summer she\u2019ll have a hysterectomy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI feel flattered when people say I\u2019m so strong,\u201d Gonzalez said. \u201cBut there is this resilience in humans that we don\u2019t realize until we have to use it. Don\u2019t doubt yourself; we are more capable than you may realize \u2014 you have it in you to keep fighting and keep going.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Editor&#8217;s note: This story was first published May 20, 2021. Among the chicken, vegetables and fruit in Priscilla Gonzalez\u2019s freezer is a tiny section of her colon, placed in a plastic container and secured in a freezer bag. While this may be exceptionally contrary to the norm, this little piece of her body serves a [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2164,"featured_media":39617,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[28,4842,49,6936,9073,1789,212],"class_list":["post-39590","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories","tag-cancer-care-oncology","tag-cancer-screening","tag-cancer-treatment","tag-digestive-gastrointestinal-cancer-treatment","tag-gynecologic-cancer-treatment","tag-uchealth-medical-center-of-the-rockies","tag-womens-care"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Colon cancer awareness through art - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"She never wants to again ignore a health problem. 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