When Your Doctor Doesn't Listen. A Marine Veteran's Fight for Answers.

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you know something is wrong with your body—but no one listens? In this episode of **Veteran Cancer Talk**, Ashton sits down with **Lacey Pritchard**, a United States Marine Corps veteran living with Stage IV colon cancer. After years of abdominal pain, back pain, night sweats, and other warning signs, her symptoms were repeatedly explained away. It wasn't until a doctor finally ordered a CT scan that she received the diagnosis that changed her life. Lacey shares her journey through chemotherapy, multiple surgeries, and the daily realities of living with metastatic cancer. She also talks about the importance of advocating for yourself, why veterans should never ignore symptoms that don't feel right, and how the military culture of "pushing through the pain" can sometimes come at a devastating cost. In this episode, you'll hear about: - Living with Stage IV colon cancer - The danger of dismissed symptoms - Why listening to your body matters - Cancer screening and early detection - Military exposures and long-term health - The emotional impact of a cancer diagnosis, including being "ghosted" by friends - Finding hope through family, community, and fellow veterans Lacey's story is honest, emotional, and filled with resilience. Her message is one every veteran—and every family member—needs to hear: **You know your body better than anyone else. If something doesn't feel right, keep advocating until someone listens.** Support the show Support Veteran Cancer Network If you believe every veteran deserves earlier answers and better cancer care, please consider supporting our mission. Your donation helps Veteran Cancer Network continue providing education, advocacy, peer support, and resources for veterans and their families while we work to improve cancer screening and awareness across the veteran community. ❤️ **Support our mission:** https://givebutter.com/VeteranCancerNetwork To learn more about Veteran Cancer Network, visit www.veterancancernetwork.org. If this episode impacted you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear Lacey's story. Together, we can make sure no veteran fights cancer alone.