Oakland County woman being featured in national colorectal cancer campaign
March is colorectal cancer awareness month.
It's the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, but it doesn't get the attention or funding that other types do. That's why Amy Jensen from Ferndale is making it her mission to change that.
Amy Jensen was packing her suitcase Sunday for a very important trip to Washington D.C. It's part of her journey as a cancer survivor and fighter.
"I think that colorectal cancer is a real taboo topic. I think that a lot of people aren't comfortable with talking about their bathroom habits, and I think that we need to shift that," Jensen said.
Five years ago, at the age of 41, Amy Jensen was diagnosed with rectal cancer.
"Initially, they thought it was a hemorrhoid and kind of dismissed my symptoms," she said.
Amy Jensen pushed for more and eventually got a colonoscopy.
"We know our bodies, and I do have a family history of colon cancer on both sides of my family," she said.
Her initial treatment lasted about 10 months. Unfortunately, a year and a half later, there was a reoccurrence.
"Which is what I'm currently dealing with, metastatic disease to the pelvic sidewall, which has impacted my ureter," Amy Jensen said.
Medals earned from running line the wall of Amy's mudroom. Before she was diagnosed, her dream was to run a race in every state.
"Unfortunately, with the neuropathy in my feet due to chemotherapy, I'm not able to do that," Amy Jensen said.
In Amy Jensen's case, surgery is too risky.
"They don't know if they would get it all so systemic chemotherapy right now is actually my only option, which is why advocacy is so important," she said.
Amy Jensen is an advocate for the organization Fight Colorectal Cancer. The nonprofit is asking lawmakers for $20 million to do research.
"Along with more treatment options that other cancers have that we don't have, where some of our treatment options are as old as the 1980s," Amy Jensen said.
In Washington D.C., advocates will place a blue flag on the lawn of the national mall. Each one represents the more than 27,400 people that are projected to be diagnosed with colorectal cancer by the year 2030.
"If you're 45 and older, you should be getting a colonoscopy because this disease, if treated and caught early, is preventable," Amy Jensen said.
Her biggest supporter is her husband of 25 years is Nick Jensen, who had to go from partner, world traveler and dog dad, to caregiver.
"[What] I'm trying to do is just to take care of Amy, basically, at the end of the day, because I know if the shoe was on the other foot, she would be taking care of me," Nick Jensen said.
He calls Amy Jensen his hero.
"You know, speaking in public and talking about difficult subjects. And you know, not only that, like I going through cancer at the same time, I guess I most of all admire her courage and her strength," Nick Jensen said.
For the next 14 days, Amy Jensen and other ambassadors will be featured on the NASDAQ screen in New York City's Times Square for a national campaign.
"Showing our faces, along with an important tagline, which is, every 10 minutes someone is dying of colorectal cancer," Amy Jensen said.
She's hopeful that sharing her story will raise awareness and get advocates critical funding to save more lives.
"Cancer is bigger than just me. You know, there might be a time that I'm not here, and I don't want other people to have to go through what I've had to endure and how it's affected my family and my loved ones," Amy Jensen said.
Perhaps one day, she will complete her bucket list by running a race in every state.
Symptoms of colorectal cancer include a change in bowel habits, abdominal cramping, fatigue, blood in stools and unintended weight loss.
