Dec 11, 2023
When fifty-something Raphaela Ilgenfritz started feeling tired all the time, she thought her fatigue was tied to menopause. That led to a serious of doctor visits, which led to a colonoscopy, which led to a diagnosis of rectal cancer, or, as it is more commonly in the United Kingdom, where she lives, bowel cancer. She had to be outfitted with a colostomy bag, a challenge she immediately embraced. Raphaela founded Stoma4life, a support group for those with below-the-belt cancers, which grew into a podcast, heard on UKHealthRadio. This is her story.