Charles Griffin, Jr. was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer at the age of 32. Shortly after, he discovered the Colon Cancer Alliance through their Facebook group COLONTOWN. It opened his eyes to the wonderful community of support for those impacted by this disease! Read his story below.  

In my 34 years of life, I’ve earned a reputation for being a do-it-all kind of guy. I’m a husband to my college sweetheart Britni, a father to our four young daughters, a former college football star, an avid golfer, a motivational speaker, a YouTube entertainer and a novice screenwriter.  My name is Charles Griffin Jr. and I never thought I would be a stage IV colon cancer patient. I’m reaching out to you today to ask you to join me in supporting the Colon Cancer Alliance. Two years ago, I suffered excruciating abdominal pain while playing golf. With no family history and no additional symptoms, I had to beg my doctor for a colonoscopy which revealed a golf ball-size tumor in my colon. Further testing showed the cancer had metastasized with multiple tumors to my lungs and liver. I was in the prime of my life with a beautiful family and a budding career when I got the worst news imaginable. I had stage IV colon cancer. Shortly thereafter, I discovered the Colon Cancer Alliance through their Facebook group Colontown. It opened my eyes to the wonderful community of support for those of us impacted by this disease. But now that I’m two years into my treatment, I’m eager for a cure, or at least treatment options that aren’t as taxing on my body. That’s why I support the Colon Cancer Alliance and their deep commitment to colon cancer-specific research. The Colon Cancer Alliance has taken an even bolder stance on research going forward, committing publicly to grow its investment in colorectal cancer-specific research to $10 million by 2021. Research that could ultimately save my life. I’m proud that the Colon Cancer Alliance is on the cutting-edge, exploring immunotherapy, biomarkers and personalized medicine. In 2016 alone, the Colon Cancer Alliance, in partnership with the Never Too Young Coalition, funded two grants to help researchers explore young-onset colorectal cancer in an attempt to better understand why people under the age of 50, like myself, are being diagnosed with this devastating disease. This is where you come in. Through your generous donation, the Colon Cancer Alliance will be able to expand its funding for life-saving and innovative research, putting us closer to realizing our vision of eliminating colon cancer in our lifetime. With your support, there will be a future for me and the thousands of other colon cancer patients waiting for a cure. Please give today. I am the reason Tomorrow Can’t Wait. Click here to listen to me tell my story.