About Don't Wait Westchester

My name is Shayla Marshall. I am a high school student at Horace Greeley High School.  I already have had relatives and other people in my life who have faced colon cancer. Unfortunately some of them died from the disease even though they were young. Late diagnosis of colon cancer prevented them from having years of memories with their families and friends. Many of these people saw doctors regularly, yet still, they didn't catch the disease in time. 

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In my sophomore year of high school I joined an independent research class in my school. I wanted to figure out why this disease was so hard to catch and treat. But, as I learned more about the disease, I realized that research issue is important, but raising awareness is truly critical. Every year more and more people under 50 years old are getting colon cancer. But, because people aren't aware of this, young people who come in with symptoms often get misdiagnosed with hemorrhoids or stomach aches. Through talking with doctors and public health professionals, I learned this issue is magnified in immigrant communities, where different cultures around preventative care and language barriers often stop people from getting tested. 

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I decided to start this initiative to raise awareness in my community about recognizing the signs of colon cancer and facilitate people getting tested for the disease. I want people to be able to advocate for themselves when they notice symptoms, and to make colon cancer testing less frightening and more accessible.  This website provides accessible and comprehensible resources, and raises awareness about the rising rates of colon cancer in young people.