With 20 years, Benjamin is diagnosed with colorectal cancer today, he encourages others to

In front of almost eight years, and Doctors discover an ulcer in the gut of Benjamin Wollmershäuser. The diagnosis of colorectal cancer tears the former students from the life. Today, he advocates for a better education. For this, he received in the past year, the honorable Felix of the Siemens company health insurance, world of the wonders of TV and the Felix Burda Foundation awarded.

As Benjamin Wollmershäuser diagnosed with bowel cancer, he is only 20 years old. An age where most people are equal in the circle of Relatives and friends with the subject of cancer of the face, hardly thinking about appropriate precautions to make investigations. Wollmershäuser’s at the time, in the middle of the study. He often feels tired and exhausted, suffers alternately from constipation and diarrhea, abdominal pain.

However, the Student does not have to Worry that behind it is a serious disease. Just recently he has changed the University, attributes the symptoms to the Stress in the study. His family doctor taps a gastro-intestinal Virus or irritable bowel syndrome. She takes the blood, sends it to the lab.

Wollmershäuser still vividly remembers the Moment when she calls him on the mobile phone and the results of his Blood counts explained. She sounds shocked. Wollmer houses of the hemoglobin value is only around 7 g/dl. In healthy adult men, the normal range is 14 to 16 g/dl. In addition, the inflammation values are very high.

Colonoscopy shows ulcer

The Student goes to the colonoscopy. When the doctor tells then that he has a large ulcer in the intestine, is Wollmershäuser still woozy from the sedatives. In mid-may 2010, he finally gets the diagnosis. “Colon cancer,” says the doctor. To more not more can remember the now 27-Year-old.

It is a combination of radiation and chemotherapy and surgery followed. The is not as successful as the Doctors had hoped. After his release from the hospital, a chemotherapy follows in the form of tablets. Wollmershäuser believes to have the cancer defeated. “Man was I naive to believe that,” he says now. “And from today’s point of view, I would have to also make a more aggressive Chemo.”

Award for the fight against colorectal cancer

In 2011, he must be re-surgery, more chemotherapy. Meanwhile, it was also found in wollmer houses mother colon cancer in the advanced stage. The two go together in the day hospital for Chemo. In 2013, she dies. Benjamin Wollmershäuser’s still alive today with the disease. He fights for every single day. He knows that he will eventually die of the disease. But that doesn’t stop him from openly with the cancer disease to deal, among other things, on his Blog "Cancelling Cancer".

For its use wollmershäuser 2017 was awarded the Felix the Felix Burda Foundation, which was founded in 2001 by Christa Maar and Hubert Burda, in order to improve the early detection of colorectal cancer. The special prize was awarded last year for the first Time in the framework of the Gala.

You are applying for the honor Felix

Also in this year, the Felix Burda Foundation, together with the Siemens company health insurance Fund, and world of wonders TVKämpfer as Benjamin Wollmershäuser, not your bowel cancer get the best of you and for the disease to engage. You feel addressed or know someone who is encouraging? You can apply up to the 4. March 2018. 13. May will take the winner of the honor Felix in Berlin. More information and the application form can be found here.

The diagnosis of colorectal cancer is not only a health but also a financial burden for those Affected and their families. Some patients are not longer able to perform their work. If you want to gut support for cancer patients, you can donate to, for example, the “patients help colorectal cancer”. The joint Initiative of the Felix Burda Foundation, the network against colon cancer, and the Foundation of life looks helps distressed patients with a unique financial support. Here you can donate: www.patientenhilfe-darmkrebs.de/spenden

Note: FOCUS Online is part of Hubert Burda Media.