A simple at-home test saved Mike Rawn’s life, and now he’s urging others to get tested too.
At 55, Mike was at a routine physical required for his commercial driver’s licence when his physician mentioned he was due for colorectal cancer screening using a fecal immunochemical test (FIT).
At the time, Mike had no symptoms and no family history of colorectal cancer. Having completed a screening test a few years earlier, he wasn’t concerned.
“I didn’t think anything would come of it,” he says. “I felt completely fine.”
This time, the result came back abnormal. Within weeks, Mike had a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.
“I was stage 3 by that point,” he says. “If I had put the test off, it might have been too late for me.”
Colorectal cancer often develops without symptoms in its early stages, which is why screening is so important. When symptoms do appear, they can include changes in bowel habits, blood in the stool, abdominal discomfort or unexplained weight loss—signs that can easily be overlooked or attributed to other causes.
Following his diagnosis, Mike underwent surgery to remove the tumour and affected lymph nodes, followed by six months of chemotherapy at RVH’s Hudson Regional Cancer Centre.
Today, Mike is cancer-free and focused on what matters most: being a husband, father and grandfather. Looking back, he says the message is simple.
“You rarely feel cancer when it first starts,” he says. “I felt healthy. I had no symptoms. The only reason it was caught was because of the FIT test.”
For most people at average risk, screening starts with a FIT test —a simple, at-home test that checks for tiny amounts of blood in the stool that you wouldn’t be able to see. This can be one of the earliest signs of colorectal cancer.
Through Ontario’s ColonCancerCheck program, FIT is recommended every two years for people aged 50 to 74 and is available at no cost.
“The FIT test is easy,” says Mike. “You swab your stool, put it in the container, and mail it in. That’s it. It literally saved my life.”
While the idea of a stool test may feel uncomfortable, it’s one of the simplest and most effective ways to catch cancer early. The test is mailed directly to your home in discreet, plain packaging. It can be completed in minutes and returned by mail in a prepaid package.
“As a regional cancer centre, RVH plays an important role in supporting screening participation and ensuring people can access timely diagnosis and treatment closer to home,” says Dana Naylor, Vice President, Clinical and Regional Vice President, Cancer Services, Ontario Health (Cancer Care Ontario). “When cancers are caught early through routine screening, it allows us to move quickly to connect patients to the care they need, without having to leave their community.”
Now cancer-free, Mike continues to give back as a member of RVH’s Hudson Regional Cancer Centre Patient, Family and Caregiver Advisory Committee.
He’s also using his voice to encourage others to take that first step.
“We all know someone affected by cancer, but we don’t think it will happen to us,” he says. “I can’t stress how easy it is to complete a simple test that could save your life.”
Since sharing his story, Mike says friends and colleagues have taken their FIT test—leading to more people getting screened and at least one early detection.
For help getting up to date with breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer call the Simcoe Muskoka Cancer Screening Hotline 1-866-608-6910 and inquire if they are eligible to have a FIT kit mailed directly to their home.
