Local doctor raises awareness as national colorectal awareness month begins

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) - March is national colorectal awareness month and one doctor who ignored his own symptoms is urging you not to do the same.

Brian Fallon is a local podiatrist but also a colon cancer survivor. Wednesday he said his exam that he thought he was getting at the recommended age is what saved his life.

“I’m living proof that the test has incredible value. Dr. Wiggins and Dr. Mandel, they saved my life,” said Fallon.

Brian Fallon thought he was doing everything right by scheduling his colonoscopy when he turned 50 years old. But a few years ago… the recommended age for adults to start getting colonoscopy exams was lowered from 50 to 45.

“Obviously, when I first got the news from Dr. Wiggins that I had cancer, that was very shocking,” said Fallon.

Dr. Travis Wiggins at the Gastroenterology Consultants of Savannah is not only Fallon’s friend but also his doctor.

“And I would tell you that he is both lucky and a big success story,” said Wiggins. “It was a few years after the age of 45, and I just can’t help but wonder, and I’ve discussed it with him before, had he undergone a colonoscopy maybe three or four years earlier, it might have been that that now cancer would have been a smaller polyp that we could have taken out at that time.”

Fallon says that he had one symptom but it was nothing he thought he needed to go to the doctor about.

“And there’s kind of sometimes a mentality of, hey, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” said Wiggins. “You know, going to the doctor, maybe not the best top on the list. The problem with that is when colon cancer does cause problems or things that we can see, oftentimes, unfortunately, it’s too far gone.”

Dr. Wiggins says the biggest concern he hears from patients is being scared of the prep and exam.

“The prep is unpleasant, but the actual procedure itself is a piece of cake,” said Fallon. “It’s the best 30 minutes of sleep you’ll ever have. And yeah, the information that can be obtained is certainly potentially life-saving.”

WTOC and St. Joseph Candler is partnering up this March to help raise awareness for colon cancer with Get Your Rear in Gear 5K.

Saturday March 28th, the 11th annual race will help raise funds and awareness for colon cancer research.