BOB HENDRICKSON

Bob Hendrickson knows how important your family medical history can be.

Bob’s grandfather died of colon cancer, so when his mother was diagnosed he knew he was at risk. Three doctors told him not to worry, but he became fatigued and insisted on getting complete testing. He eventually got a colonoscopy that found tumors and numerous polyps. He had surgery and was diagnosed with stage II colon cancer.

After finishing chemotherapy, Bob participated in a study that found that he has Hereditary Non-Polyposis Colorectal Cancer (HNPCC), a genetic mutation whose carriers have an extremely high risk of developing colorectal and some other cancers. They also found that Bob’s mother, a four-time cancer survivor, has HNPCC, as do a cousin, an aunt, and two uncles.