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By Lucy Notarantonio
Senior Reporter
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A colonoscopy isn’t anything out of the ordinary for Mitchell Ferguson, who has lived with a chronic inflammatory bowel disease since childhood.
So, when the 28-year-old went for the procedure in January, he didn’t think anything of it, despite experiencing blood in his stool and increased bowel movements.
"I have dealt with bowel issues for my entire life," Ferguson, from Ohio, told Newsweek. "Nothing felt out of the ordinary. I thought it was just an ulcerative colitis flare-up."
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Ferguson was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, the most common type of inflammatory bowel disease, when he was 10. The condition affects the inner lining of the colon and rectum.
People with longstanding ulcerative colitis are often advised to undergo regular colonoscopies because chronic inflammation can increase the risk of colorectal cancer.
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Studies have found that people with ulcerative colitis have a higher risk of developing colorectal cancer, particularly the longer they have the condition.
‘It Seems To Have Popped Up Out of Nowhere’
During a colonoscopy in January, doctors discovered a 3-centimeter growth.
Ferguson had his colon removed in March, along with 190 lymph nodes, which were biopsied. Cancer was found in four of the nodes, leading to a diagnosis of stage 3 colon cancer. This means the disease had spread to nearby lymph nodes but not to other parts of the body.
"The diagnosis was the hardest day we’ve ever had," his wife, Katelyn Ferguson, 27, told Newsweek. "We thought it would be stage 1 if anything."
Ferguson said his doctor was shocked by how quickly the cancer had developed, as it had not been there in 2025.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, most colorectal cancers develop from polyps, with the process typically taking around 10 years.
"It seems to have popped up out of nowhere," Ferguson said. "We are still curious to know how it grew so quickly."
‘The Hardest Year of Our Lives’
The cancer diagnosis was just one of several challenges the couple faced.
On the day of Ferguson’s first oncology appointment, they had to put down their cat because of liver and gallbladder issues.
He underwent chemotherapy over the summer and experienced adverse reactions on more than one occasion.
"I was having heart-attack symptoms," he said, adding that during one hospitalization, he received a message from Katelyn showing her broken toe.
Then, their other cat developed bladder stones, with treatment costing $3,000.
Ferguson’s final treatment was in September, but the week before, he developed a Cyclospora infection from lettuce.
"This has been the hardest year of our lives," Katelyn told Newsweek. "I work full-time in marketing, we have a house, and pets to take care of; it was a lot to balance.
"We had to say no to a lot of social stuff this year and it’s taught us how to enjoy the moments of relaxation.
"We were forced to slow down and that has made us closer, we were able to enjoy our home more rather than what’s next."
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‘I Treat Each Day as a Gift’
Now cancer-free and undergoing regular monitoring, Ferguson said the experience has changed his outlook on life.
He told Newsweek: "I treat each day as a gift and appreciate every day.
"It’s nice to sit around and do nothing rather than being physically exhausted from treatment."
The couple also praised their loved ones for supporting them through some of their darkest days.
"My mom and dad have been amazing," Ferguson said, adding that friends and family rallied around the couple and gifted them $1,000 in grocery vouchers.
"We are appreciative of the village behind us!"
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Sirena Bergman and Rhian Morgan.
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