A plea during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: Get screening before it’s too late

By Jayme Sebring

My husband, a father and a loved community leader, Jacob Sebring, lost his fight with cancer last December. At just 43 years old, his courageous battle with Stage IV colon cancer came to an end. He should still be here. He should still be making our children laugh, building Legos with our son, holding our baby girl, and chasing our toddler through the house. He should still be beside me.

Instead, during National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, I am writing with the kind of heartbreak no wife should ever feel.

Jacob was so much more than the disease that took him. He was a devoted husband, an incredible father, and a deeply loved friend. He spent more than 20 years in Alaska’s real estate community and grew into a respected mentor, broker, and leader. He had a rare gift for making people feel seen and valued. Even people who might have been considered competitors admired him. He was authentic, generous, funny, wise, and full of life. He loved our family above everything.

That is what colon cancer takes. Not just one person, but a father from his children. A husband from his wife. A leader from his community. A friend from the people who loved him most.

And the truth is, Alaskans face some of the greatest risks, with Alaskan Natives having the highest colorectal cancer incidence and mortality rates in the world. More than a third of Alaskans ages 45 to 75 have not received at least one recommended colorectal cancer test. Alaska is also the sixth deadliest place in the country for colorectal cancer.

These numbers are even more concerning because when colorectal cancer is caught early, the five-year survival rate can be as high as 91%. This disease does not just affect older populations. 

In fact, colorectal cancer is now the leading cause of cancer-related death for people under 50. And what many people don’t realize is that the American Cancer Society now recommends that adults at average risk begin screening at age 45. Because of what happened to our family, I recommend beginning screening at age 40.

Too many people put screening off because they are busy, nervous, or afraid. Especially for Alaskan Natives, where geographic isolation sometimes makes it impossible for individuals to get the healthcare they need. I understand that more than I ever wanted to. However, fear cannot be the reason families lose the people they love.

That is why it matters to have options to get screened. Options like Guardant Health’s Shield blood test, the first and only FDA-approved blood test for primary colorectal cancer screening in adults 45 and older at average risk, are making it quicker and easier to get screened, helping more people detect cancer early. In fact, new research from Harris Poll shows that 77% of screening-eligible Americans say they would be less likely to put off screening if an FDA-approved blood test option were available.

I cannot change what happened to Jacob. I cannot give my children back the father they deserved to grow up with. But I can ask others to do something now, while they still have the chance. If you are 45 or older, please talk to your doctor about getting screened and the options available to you. Do it for yourself, for the people who love you, and for the family that would never be the same without you.

I would give anything for one more day with my husband. I hope other families never have to say the same.

• Jayme Sebring is an Anchorage resident.