Woman's colon cancer symptom was dismissed as part of pregnancy. Months later, she was diagnosed with stage 4.

A pregnant California woman’s blood in her stool was initially dismissed as hemorrhoids. Gabby Zappia, 37, of Mission Viejo, was six months into her third pregnancy when the symptom appeared. Her obstetrician reassured her and she continued with daily routines until the day before her June 2024 due date, when bleeding intensified. After delivery, persistent bleeding prompted a three-month wait to see a gastroenterologist. In December 2024, six months after giving birth, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer.

An initial guaiac-based fecal occult blood test turned blue, triggering a colonoscopy. In November 2024 doctors found a baseball-sized mass nearly blocking the colon, leading to a colon resection one month later and a biopsy showing liver metastasis. The cancer was staged at 4, and Zappia later underwent surgery to remove a chemotherapy port. She had no family history of colon cancer and had expected polyps or Crohn’s disease, making the diagnosis particularly shocking. She describes balancing motherhood with treatment and says the experience changed her perspective on her health.