Georgia UPS Driver, 29, Dies 6 Months After Stage 4 Colon Cancer Diagnosis
Updated
Updated · Business Insider · May 16
Georgia UPS Driver, 29, Dies 6 Months After Stage 4 Colon Cancer Diagnosis
1 articles · Updated · Business Insider · May 16
Andrew Reaster died on Aug. 9, 2025, six months after doctors diagnosed the 29-year-old Georgia UPS driver with stage 4 colon cancer following a three-day stomachache.
Within a week of his February diagnosis, scans showed the cancer had spread to his liver, lungs and stomach lining, and doctors said the mass could not be surgically removed.
A 48-day hospital stay after a February colostomy left him too weak for sustained treatment; later chemotherapy was halted when his white blood cell count fell too low.
By July, Reaster's weight had dropped to 140 pounds from 210, and his mother said he remained in constant pain until his death.
More than 400,000 people viewed an Instagram account his mother revived to warn younger adults that colon cancer can strike before 45 and is more treatable when caught early.
As colon cancer surges in the young, is screening at 45 already too late?
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The Alarming Rise of Colon Cancer in Young Adults: Early-Onset Trends, Warning Signs, and the Push for Earlier Screening
Overview
Andrew Reaster’s tragic passing in August 2025 and his mother Kathy Lemoine’s advocacy highlight a growing public health crisis: the rise of colorectal cancer among young adults. Once the fifth most common cause of cancer deaths for people under 50 in the early 1990s, colorectal cancer has now become the deadliest cancer for this age group as of 2023. This shift is driven by a steady annual increase in deaths since 2005. The report calls for urgent awareness and proactive measures, emphasizing that early detection and action are crucial to address this alarming trend.