Kalei Martin, a 28-year-old mother of two from Sacramento, began experiencing severe stomach pain and bleeding that doctors initially dismissed as hemorrhoids. The state employee and photographer pushed for further testing after noticing unusual tissue-like material during bathroom visits and worsening symptoms.

After nearly two months of escalating pain, Martin finally received a colonoscopy that revealed stage 2 colorectal cancer. Despite her young age and lack of anemia, the tumor had grown through her rectal wall. She underwent 25 rounds of pelvic radiation combined with daily chemotherapy pills, followed by four and a half months of intravenous FOLFOX treatment.

When scans showed the tumor had dissolved, Martin entered monitoring but later discovered the cancer had spread to her lungs, advancing to stage 4. She underwent two lung resection surgeries three weeks apart. Now sharing her journey online, Martin has received hundreds of messages from people who recognized similar symptoms and sought medical attention. Her story highlights the rising incidence of colorectal cancer in adults under 50, now the leading cancer killer in that age group.