Why this man is no longer afraid of colonoscopy 

After delaying his first colonoscopy, Rod Pearce found out he had polyps, those tissue growths that can lead to cancer. He was told he should have surgery to remove a large portion of his colon and that spurred him to find a second opinion at Stanford. Uri Ladabaum, senior vice chief, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and director of the Gastrointestinal Cancer Prevention Program, agreed to see Pearce.

Dr. Ladabaum performed a colonoscopy for another look at Pearce’s colon. Now, Pearce is a vocal advocate against colonoscopy fear. Preparing for a colonoscopy and the procedure itself “is really not a big deal,” he said. “I went from thinking I would have major, life-changing surgery to a lot of hope.”

Featuring:

• Rod Pearce, Stanford patient
• Uri Ladabaum, MD, Gastroenterologist

Learn more about receiving a colonoscopy.