Brook Mitchell
Somewhere along the drive from Salt Lake City to St. George, Brook Mitchell's mindset did a 180: He would not succumb to the devastating diagnosis of colon cancer. He would fight; he would win.
Although his family practitioner had helped him schedule a colonoscopy on two different occasions, Brook Mitchell went home and canceled the appointment each time. Then COVID-19 swept the nation, and Brook sidestepped the screening for a couple more years. But when Brook returned to his family physician after the pandemic and mentioned blood in his stool, the doctor stressed the seriousness of not delaying the recommended medical screening procedure any longer.
“Now I say, ‘Thank you to Dr. Katie Jillian for kicking me in the butt and getting me to have my colonoscopy.’ Waiting another year could have allowed the cancer to spread,” Brook said.
Brook learned that the polyps removed during his colonoscopy had tested positive for colon cancer while driving from Salt Lake Valley to St. George to deliver Christmas presents to his daughter.
“It was just devastating. Physically, I felt great! I was young and had no sign whatsoever (except that bleeding). During the first two hours of that drive, I was devastated and thought I was going to die. Then something happened, and I think it’s because of the prayers of people I told about my diagnosis,” Brook said. “A couple of hours after I found out, my mindset did a 180. Something inside just flipped, and my thoughts changed to, ‘I’m going to fight this!’”
Brook’s emerging positivity remained from then on, and it proved to make a tremendous difference as he went through treatment.
No one fights alone: Teaming up with expert, compassionate medical professionals proves vital.
Brook wanted exceptional medical professionals on his team as he fought cancer. That’s why he went to St. Mark’s Hospital and met with Dr. Abby Crume, a surgeon who specialized in colon and rectal procedures. Dr. Crume introduced Brook’s case to St. Mark’s Tumor Board, a multi-disciplinary group of oncologists, surgeons, radiologists, pathologists, and nurse navigators who further evaluated Brook’s results and cultivated a personalized treatment plan.
“The Tumor Board looked closely and saw that my cancer may have spread further than initially thought,” Brook said. “They recommended surgery to cut out the cancer found in my intestines and rectum and then several rounds of radiation. Next, I’d need time for my intestines to heal before I’d have another surgery to sew them back together.”
Brook said the treatment process wasn’t always easy or comfortable. For example, between surgeries, he needed to use an ostomy bag for six weeks (which allows bodily waste to pass through a pouch on the outside of the body). Plus, he experienced long-term numbness in his feet as a side effect of the radiation treatments. With all that in consideration, Brook praised the knowledge and compassion of his medical teams, noting that they provided him with support and strength when things felt tough during his cancer journey.
“With cancer, the most important thing you can have is a competent medical team! When you have something going on inside, and you have all those organs surrounding what they’re removing, you really want to have someone who knows what they’re doing,” Brook said. “All the people in my operations and recovery have been professional, helpful, and top-notch. I say, ‘Take me to St. Mark’s Hospital because I think they have the highest level of professional medical experts.’”
Just as Brook thought highly of the medical team, the medical team thought highly of him!
“I admired Brook’s positive attitude from the moment I met him,” said Melissa Tolotti, an oncology nurse navigator who worked closely with Brook, providing support and advocacy, coordination of care, and education throughout and after treatment. “It was inspiring to witness how Brook handled this challenging health journey and big chapter of his life. He has continued to impress and inspire me by wanting to ‘give back’ to the cancer community by participating in survivor events in the community and in his willingness to be a mentor for other cancer patients who manage an ostomy.”
From colonoscopy avoider to advocate
Today, Brook is cancer-free! He no longer avoids colonoscopies but avidly advocates for timely adherence to recommended guidelines for the screening procedure.
“I encourage everyone to get their colonoscopy based on when their medical experts say to, and not based on how they feel. I would have never thought I had cancer in my body!” Brook said. “So, follow the suggested timing and know that the sooner a problem is found, the better. If cancer is present, it’s more likely you’ll recover and the whole recovery will be easier when you’re younger, stronger and more capable of fighting.”
At St. Mark’s Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, our oncology experts are experienced in providing an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment plan for cancer. To learn more about our Cancer Support Services team, visit us online or give us a call at (801) 268-7013.
To schedule a colonoscopy, or find a provider, call: (801) 715-4152.