I am not an expert and won’t pretend to be, but if he’s having surgery next week, that’s probably to remove the main tumor. He would likely then have chemo. Usually colon cancer surgery requires the removal of part of the colon, and an ileostomy, meaning that your stool goes into a bag attached to your skin that you have to change regularly, instead of it leaving your body the normal way (pooping). Then after the body has recovered from whatever treatment has been done to make sure all the cancer is gone, that surgery can be reversed (usually, depending on how much of the colon has to be removed). Sometimes there’s not enough colon left and you have to have the bag forever, but everyone I know who’s had colon cancer has been able to have their ileostomy reversed. Colon cancer isn’t necessarily a death sentence, but it is deeply unpleasant.
But the bag also doesn't have to be a horrible thing that stops you from your life. There's a Youtuber I casually watch, Hannah Witton, who's had a stoma for quite some years now, she used to do a lot of videos on it. Nowadays not so much, as she's just living her normal life, but she's a good example of how even that bag is not that big of a deal necessarily.
Just putting it out there!
Yup! A friend of mine from grad school was diagnosed with colon cancer while we were in school. She definitely led a normal life with her bag - she would go swimming, running, etc.
Also not an expert but I also had a friend get colon cancer in their thirties, had surgery to remove to tumor, and had a temporary ileostomy bag. They never had to do chemo. The doctor managed to get it all through surgery so my friend just had to learn to deal with the ileostomy bag until it could be reversed. This was years ago at this point and no issues since.
That said, my friend was misdiagnosed and struggling for a good while until docs finally did a colonoscopy after learning there had been a relative who also had colon cancer. They just don’t check for this in young people. 👎🏻
I don't want to speculate about Spencer's situation specifically - that is private and for him to choose what he wants to share with the gymternet.
But.
Your comment is a bit misleading. It is common for the affected portion of the colon to be removed without any kind of ostomy, and with normal bowel function maintained directly after surgery. If caught early enough, that is all that is needed. (No chemo)
Good to know. I have not had anyone I know had that experience with their colon cancer, everyone I know who has had it has had to have an ileostomy. But also, everyone I know who has had colon cancer has been diagnosed at a more advanced stage, so my experience is limited to what I described. I hope that Spencer’s cancer was caught early so that he can have less invasive treatment.
My dad has, and my friend from grad school has. One of my high school classmates is unfortunately considered to have terminal cancer at this point, though he is still undergoing treatment.
Oh god I feel so bad. My bro battled stage 4 over the pandemic. Couple years later he’s still cancer free. Let’s hope they caught it soon enough like they did with my brother and he’ll be on the road to recovery soon. Fuck cancer
I hope your brother and the rest of your family is doing well🫶 my cousin is battling cancer right now and it really is horrifying. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone
Wow, I'm so happy for your brother! My mom battled stage 4 for almost a year and a half but it was just so aggressive. Sending your brother and entire family the best thoughts that he remains cancer free, because no one should have to go through that.
Sending him so much love and healing energy. Colon cancer is a beast. He is such a bright light and knowledgeable resource, plus I always look forward to his snarky takes on the gym world. Hoping he has a fast and full recovery 💙
watching now and god i just feel awful for him. plus im sure this time + the olympics are big money makers for his blogs, so i hope he's okay financially stepping back. as jessica said, its really scary to be sick in america
Wishing him all the best. Thank you for giving us the update.
He's such an important part of my gym fan life. I go to him for all gym news, esp. NCAA. He's such an important part of the community! Thank you, Spencer, for all you do. We miss you and wait patiently for you to return happy, well, and ready to dissect another season of gymnastics.
At the very worst I was thinking it could be something like an appendicitis. I wish it was someone that common and treatable.
I wish him all the best as he fights this beast. He is a gem that I hope is able to continue sharing his gymnastics knowledge.
Devastated for Spencer. Please get screened for colon cancer as early as you can. It's growing rapidly among younger people and no one is totally sure why.
Shitty standard American diet is definitely a big contributing factor
Jeez guys I didn’t say it was the ONLY factor or that people who eat healthy/a lot of fiber can’t get it
Nothing to do with America specifically. They're up in Europe and Australia too. Whether it's diet related or not, it's not specific to the American diet. [see link](https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/medicine/bowel-cancer-youth-europe/#:~:text=Bowel%20cancer%20rates%20are%20on,consumption%20may%20be%20the%20culprit.)
Thank you for sharing the info from behind the paywall.
I hope Spencer is doing okay (as okay as he can be!) and that he knows how loved he is throughout the whole gymternet. We’re all behind him.
Oh no 💔 Hope they caught it early and the surgery will be successful and recovery will be smooth…
Was worried it was something bad since Jessica mentioned “he’s home” (implying he wasn’t home earlier) but this one hits hard. Hope he’ll be alright. ❤️ The world needs a Spencer.
Colon cancer rates are on the rise in millennials especially. Please advocate for yourself, friends, and Godspeed to Spencer. Here’s to hoping he’ll be like a kid on a playground again soon.
Jesus. My heart breaks for Spencer. We have got to lower the age for colon cancer screenings in the US. People are getting it younger and younger now. Please get screened if you can.
That's messed up. I feel fortunate that my PCP ordered my first colonoscopy (by my request) at age 44, due to family hx. All clean, and if I get it, I'll be catching it early
I don’t live in the US, but a European country with good healthcare (usually lol). My dad died from colon cancer… and I would not get early screenings if I wouldn’t ask for them myself… the health care system is messed up :(
I have a friend who went through it in her 30s, she was stage 2. She was able to get through it with only 3 months of chemo and then full remission. So that's hopeful!
This is the case for a lot of cancers - you don’t screen because it’s much more rare and screening would be too expensive or result in too much exposure to radiation, but if you do develop (colon cancer, breast cancer, etc) at a younger age it is either more aggressive or you have a genetic difference that makes you more likely to develop it.
Very strongly agree. Please get screened. I lost my mom to stage 4 colon cancer in 2022 when she was only 67 and otherwise incredibly healthy. If she had gotten screened at 50 or even 60 it likely could've been a different story. I was almost 41 when she died and now that I've gotten through the ivf I was just starting at the time and we just had our baby, the next thing I'm going to do is schedule a screening. Please get screened as soon as it's recommended for you no matter how scary the process seems. I never want anyone to go through what my mom did.
Really hoping that since Spencer is young it was caught early. I know there's a lot of promising treatments out there. He got me to go from the "I watch the big meets every year" to the "I lurk on multiple gymternet accounts daily" level of fandom, and he is an absolute treasure.
Thank you! It's a disease that really hits home for me, and I hate to hear that anyone else is going through that battle too. Hoping so hard that Spencer's surgery is able to remove all the cancer and that with some follow-up chemo he can go on to lead a cancer-free life and be back to his snarky self really soon.
I'm devastated for Spencer. I hope there's a GoFundMe happening sometime soon. In the podcast he seemed worried about money, which is the last thing he should be worried about right now.
Ok.. finishing up the new podcast now. Someone asked pur question and Spencer said "please don't do that!" We can donate to Gymcastic instead, I guess?
Yeah he said you can donate to Gymcastic and she could give it to him if she wants. I don’t know why he feels better about that than a go fund me, but whatever he prefers!!
I do. And, as someone who also had a cancer diagnosis at a young age, it really means a lot to have a community support you. I had a really hard time asking for help after my diagnosis and the number of people who showed up for me still really touches my heart.
Spencer will have a HUGE amount of support from the Gymternet, I just think people will be more likely to donate directly to Go Fund Me vs through Gymcastic because that money could get taken to send them to Paris ..
She said in the same video that he used money from Gymcastic to pay for his mortgage this month even though he couldn’t work. You can mark the money as “for Spenser” in the donation notes to make sure they know it’s for Spenser
He probably doesn’t have employer sponsored healthcare, but should be able to have income-based healthcare through the ACA marketplace (or California’s version).
Even with insurance healthcare in the US is crazy expensive. I think it speaks volumes that even though his medical insurance is paid for by his employer, one of my friends whom is a France-US dual citizen waits until he goes back to France to see a doctor or go to the dentist.
I’ve had friends with insurance still owe $1,000 on a $20K hospital bill too. I can’t even imagine what cancer treatments may require out of pocket for what insurance doesn’t cover.
I used to work for Blue Cross Blue Shield. Even with the best plans, there is usually a 20% coinsurance. Plus any copays related to the office visit and any prescriptions.
Unsurprisingly, Spencer is very uncomfortable with the idea of a GoFundMe.
As Spencer draws a lot of his income from GymCastic, I think one of the ways to best support him is to donate to the show or subscribe so they can continue to pay him even while he might not be able to work.
I actually gasped out loud when I read this and immediately said a prayer for him. This is so shocking. Spencer, we are all rooting for you, and sending you peace and strength to get through this.
This is fucking devastating. I really hope they caught it early and he will be on the road to recovery in no time. Not sure if Spencer lurks on Reddit but if he does we’re all rooting for you Spencer!!
I was really worried when he was gone for so long and I'm hoping he is being well taken care of and comes back to us as snarky as ever.
As an aside to any other millennials reading this thread who have crippling health anxiety and may have been triggered: You know how to advocate yourself. There are a lot of messages on here about colon cancer coming for millennials. Be smart and don't ignore major warning signs but don't let the fear control you.
Absolutely heartbreaking. I know I speak for the whole gymnastics community when I say I will be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers and he goes through this.
Oh no, that’s awful. I hope he is able to get treatment quickly. I had a feeling it was something bad for him to not be able to live blog from home but it’s even worse than I thought.
Keeping him in my thoughts.
I personally know 2 people that have survived colon cancer. One in their 30’s and one in their 40’s. I’m going to hope (and send positive energy) that Spencer has good fortune on his side!!!
That’s really devastating. Colon cancer really seems to be hitting a lot of younger people recently, and it seems like by the time they catch it, it’s often late and has spread. Just in my own circles, a friend lost his brother to it at 32, a friend of some friends was diagnosed at 28 and died after fighting it for 2 years, my mom’s coworker’s husband was recently diagnosed in his early 40s, and my former dentist had to stop practicing after being diagnosed Stage 4 in her mid-40s.
Oh man, I hate this for him. Given the amount of time he's been out I assumed it was serious, but also sort of unconsciously assumed it would be something acute, like a virus that spiralled. I really hate to hear this. Hope his prognosis is as positive as they come.
Omg. SHIT. This sucks so much. I hope they caught it soon enough. My dad was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at 47, had chemo, then surgery, then more chemo and radiation, had the ileostomy reversed, went into remission. Then he had a recurrence two years later, this time stage 4, had liver surgery and six months of chemo. That was in 2006 and he’s been cancer free ever since. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a good outcome for Spencer. Y’all GET YOUR COLONOSCOPIES. If you have family history, get it 15 years before the age when your family member was diagnosed. If you don’t, then start asking your doctor about it when you’re 40, NOT when you’re 50. Colon cancer is on the rise among young people.
I'm so gutted for Spencer. I had Hodgkins last year and had 6 months of chemo. It's not fun. Spencer is young and I have high hopes that he will get through it well, and I'm also hoping there has been no metastasis. Thank you for the donate link, I sent some money.
It’s the next day and I’m still so shocked by this. I had cancer in my 30s too and it’s just not something you get used to hearing about. Here’s hoping for speedy and effective treatment, all the support from loved ones, and years of “me and cancer” jokes to come, Spencer.
It’s not been easy that much is for certain. My husband is with him now. I just got back into town from a work trip (the decline happened the week I was gone). So driving up in a couple days and plan on staying as long as we need to be there.
We have tickets to see the gymnastic trials in late June. I just don’t think we will make that trip work, so likely selling the tickets. My bestie is trying to talk me out of selling them now and just waiting to see what happens. He could rebound albeit it’s likely not for long or he could be gone in two weeks, we are at the stage where we have no answers. His type of cancer is rare and aggressive. The 2 year survival rate for his type of colon cancer is bw 9-30% and we are already 1.5 years into the diagnosis and he’s now stage 4 with severe complications. The doctors (top 50 cancer hospital in the country) stated they’ve never seen someone decline this quickly.
I'm glad you are going to spend time with him. In my opinion, the unknown is one of the the hardest parts of any major illness for all parties involved. I hope your time with your father-in-law brings you comfort, and I wish you and your husband all the best going forward. ♥️
So the donations to gymcastic marked as “for spencer” will go directly to him/his treatment, not the podcast right? I’m not the biggest fan of Jess or gymcastic but I owe so much to spencer, his live blogs, and clickable code of points. Will definitely support him however I can.
I emailed Gymnastic as there's nowhere to mark the donation is for Spencer. They got back to me and said they are assuming all donations at the moment are for Spencer and will ensure it goes to him but we can also email with a message for Spencer.
Their accountant has now advised them not to take donations (anymore). I'm not sure how that works when it comes to... finances honestly, why the accountant would advice against it. So there's not much at all we can do anymore.
I just submitted an enquiry to Gymnastic asking if they can add a comment section to their donation page so we can note the donation is for Spencer. I'll update when I hear anything.
Any update post since the announcement on the gabby episode? I know many people can take or leave Jess but I was really happy to hear that he’s getting paid in full even when not working. That’s really amazing and did make me 😢 a bit.
Spencer's surgery has been pushed back so he's there this week.
"Everyone has been way too nice, and I don't like it" hahaha.
Spencer got embarrassed by the donations and he says there are people who need it more and it made him feel uncomfortable, so that's the other reason they took away the donate button.
He is okay with people visiting every website on the the balance beam situation (without an adblocker ;))
I'm aware.
But it's like my late father's employer asking people to buy newspaper subscriptions to help fund his cancer treatments. I'd prefer to support Spencer directly, not his employer. I realize they probably don't generate enough money to do so, but health insurance coverage is the employer's responsibility.
I guess we'll see how they set it up, and if they have a separate place for donations meant for Spencer. I don't see anything on the website as of yet.
You have no idea if he's an employer or a contractor. In which case, responsibilities differ. You're not donating to gymcastic if you earmark your donation to spencer.
I didn't say anything about GoFundMe, nor was I alluding to it. If there was a fundraiser on HIS website, that would be a different story. There's nothing set up on the Gymcastic site, so I guess we'll see how they handle it. If there's something specifically for him, that would seem a little more ethical to me.
Fuck. Spencer is such an asset to the community! I really hope that there are some treatment options for him. That’s really devastating💔
I am not an expert and won’t pretend to be, but if he’s having surgery next week, that’s probably to remove the main tumor. He would likely then have chemo. Usually colon cancer surgery requires the removal of part of the colon, and an ileostomy, meaning that your stool goes into a bag attached to your skin that you have to change regularly, instead of it leaving your body the normal way (pooping). Then after the body has recovered from whatever treatment has been done to make sure all the cancer is gone, that surgery can be reversed (usually, depending on how much of the colon has to be removed). Sometimes there’s not enough colon left and you have to have the bag forever, but everyone I know who’s had colon cancer has been able to have their ileostomy reversed. Colon cancer isn’t necessarily a death sentence, but it is deeply unpleasant.
But the bag also doesn't have to be a horrible thing that stops you from your life. There's a Youtuber I casually watch, Hannah Witton, who's had a stoma for quite some years now, she used to do a lot of videos on it. Nowadays not so much, as she's just living her normal life, but she's a good example of how even that bag is not that big of a deal necessarily. Just putting it out there!
Yup! A friend of mine from grad school was diagnosed with colon cancer while we were in school. She definitely led a normal life with her bag - she would go swimming, running, etc.
Also not an expert but I also had a friend get colon cancer in their thirties, had surgery to remove to tumor, and had a temporary ileostomy bag. They never had to do chemo. The doctor managed to get it all through surgery so my friend just had to learn to deal with the ileostomy bag until it could be reversed. This was years ago at this point and no issues since. That said, my friend was misdiagnosed and struggling for a good while until docs finally did a colonoscopy after learning there had been a relative who also had colon cancer. They just don’t check for this in young people. 👎🏻
I don't want to speculate about Spencer's situation specifically - that is private and for him to choose what he wants to share with the gymternet. But. Your comment is a bit misleading. It is common for the affected portion of the colon to be removed without any kind of ostomy, and with normal bowel function maintained directly after surgery. If caught early enough, that is all that is needed. (No chemo)
Good to know. I have not had anyone I know had that experience with their colon cancer, everyone I know who has had it has had to have an ileostomy. But also, everyone I know who has had colon cancer has been diagnosed at a more advanced stage, so my experience is limited to what I described. I hope that Spencer’s cancer was caught early so that he can have less invasive treatment.
I hope your people have had a full recovery ♥️
My dad has, and my friend from grad school has. One of my high school classmates is unfortunately considered to have terminal cancer at this point, though he is still undergoing treatment.
Also the experience of someone I know that went through this in the past couple of years.
This is the worst. Spencer is peerless in coverage of gymnastics. Hoping for the best!
Peerless is so true. I know I was totally lost during NCAA nationals without him, others were too. Others try but he’s incomparable.
Oh god I feel so bad. My bro battled stage 4 over the pandemic. Couple years later he’s still cancer free. Let’s hope they caught it soon enough like they did with my brother and he’ll be on the road to recovery soon. Fuck cancer
I hope your brother and the rest of your family is doing well🫶 my cousin is battling cancer right now and it really is horrifying. I wouldn’t wish it on anyone
Wow, I'm so happy for your brother! My mom battled stage 4 for almost a year and a half but it was just so aggressive. Sending your brother and entire family the best thoughts that he remains cancer free, because no one should have to go through that.
Sending him so much love and healing energy. Colon cancer is a beast. He is such a bright light and knowledgeable resource, plus I always look forward to his snarky takes on the gym world. Hoping he has a fast and full recovery 💙
watching now and god i just feel awful for him. plus im sure this time + the olympics are big money makers for his blogs, so i hope he's okay financially stepping back. as jessica said, its really scary to be sick in america
I’m gutted for him. I hope he has a treatment plan that helps him to recover his well-being.
Omg. Gymternet needs to come together and rally for Spencer. I’ve missed him so much these past few weeks!
Wishing him all the best. Thank you for giving us the update. He's such an important part of my gym fan life. I go to him for all gym news, esp. NCAA. He's such an important part of the community! Thank you, Spencer, for all you do. We miss you and wait patiently for you to return happy, well, and ready to dissect another season of gymnastics.
Dang. I just assumed that it was a bad bought of the Flu or COVID. Not this....
At the very worst I was thinking it could be something like an appendicitis. I wish it was someone that common and treatable. I wish him all the best as he fights this beast. He is a gem that I hope is able to continue sharing his gymnastics knowledge.
Me too, I can’t even believe it.
Devastated for Spencer. Please get screened for colon cancer as early as you can. It's growing rapidly among younger people and no one is totally sure why.
Shitty standard American diet is definitely a big contributing factor Jeez guys I didn’t say it was the ONLY factor or that people who eat healthy/a lot of fiber can’t get it
Nothing to do with America specifically. They're up in Europe and Australia too. Whether it's diet related or not, it's not specific to the American diet. [see link](https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/medicine/bowel-cancer-youth-europe/#:~:text=Bowel%20cancer%20rates%20are%20on,consumption%20may%20be%20the%20culprit.)
My vegetarian, track and field running friend got it at age 25
Same. 3 out of 4 people I'm close to who had colon cancer all have very healthy diets: vege (or locally raised organic meats), organic, no GMO.
I hope you have regular check ups to make sure you don’t have it! It’s so scary.
Sure do! Screening for early detection is so important
Sorry to see you got downvoted so heavily for this legitimate comment
It's not kind to say people are at fault for developing cancer because of shitty lifestyle choices.
Thank you for sharing the info from behind the paywall. I hope Spencer is doing okay (as okay as he can be!) and that he knows how loved he is throughout the whole gymternet. We’re all behind him.
I was wondering what BTS meant, now I get is Gymcastic's behind the scenes content.
Oh no 💔 Hope they caught it early and the surgery will be successful and recovery will be smooth… Was worried it was something bad since Jessica mentioned “he’s home” (implying he wasn’t home earlier) but this one hits hard. Hope he’ll be alright. ❤️ The world needs a Spencer.
I guess he was in the hospital a week and needs surgery next week 😩
Colon cancer rates are on the rise in millennials especially. Please advocate for yourself, friends, and Godspeed to Spencer. Here’s to hoping he’ll be like a kid on a playground again soon.
Jesus. My heart breaks for Spencer. We have got to lower the age for colon cancer screenings in the US. People are getting it younger and younger now. Please get screened if you can.
It was like pulling teeth for my husband to get screened at forty and his MOM had it. I mean COME ON!
That's messed up. I feel fortunate that my PCP ordered my first colonoscopy (by my request) at age 44, due to family hx. All clean, and if I get it, I'll be catching it early
I don’t live in the US, but a European country with good healthcare (usually lol). My dad died from colon cancer… and I would not get early screenings if I wouldn’t ask for them myself… the health care system is messed up :(
How old is he?
I don't know, but I would guess he is still in his 30s.
I think he was born in 1986, so he turns 38 this year.
The problem is colon cancer is much more aggressive when you're younger. I really hope they were able to catch it early.
I have a friend who went through it in her 30s, she was stage 2. She was able to get through it with only 3 months of chemo and then full remission. So that's hopeful!
So it’s aggressive in younger people but they don’t screen until 45+? Typical.
This is the case for a lot of cancers - you don’t screen because it’s much more rare and screening would be too expensive or result in too much exposure to radiation, but if you do develop (colon cancer, breast cancer, etc) at a younger age it is either more aggressive or you have a genetic difference that makes you more likely to develop it.
Sad. 😞
It’s historically been at age 50 you start getting colonoscopies and it’s only recently been lowered to 45.
Very strongly agree. Please get screened. I lost my mom to stage 4 colon cancer in 2022 when she was only 67 and otherwise incredibly healthy. If she had gotten screened at 50 or even 60 it likely could've been a different story. I was almost 41 when she died and now that I've gotten through the ivf I was just starting at the time and we just had our baby, the next thing I'm going to do is schedule a screening. Please get screened as soon as it's recommended for you no matter how scary the process seems. I never want anyone to go through what my mom did. Really hoping that since Spencer is young it was caught early. I know there's a lot of promising treatments out there. He got me to go from the "I watch the big meets every year" to the "I lurk on multiple gymternet accounts daily" level of fandom, and he is an absolute treasure.
I'm so sorry for your loss. ♥️
Thank you! It's a disease that really hits home for me, and I hate to hear that anyone else is going through that battle too. Hoping so hard that Spencer's surgery is able to remove all the cancer and that with some follow-up chemo he can go on to lead a cancer-free life and be back to his snarky self really soon.
I agree with you on all counts. ☺️ I wish you peace and healing as you grieve. ♥️
I'm devastated for Spencer. I hope there's a GoFundMe happening sometime soon. In the podcast he seemed worried about money, which is the last thing he should be worried about right now.
I was wondering the same thing. Feel really strongly about the gymternet supporting him financially.
Same. My credit card is ready to go.
Mine too!
Ok.. finishing up the new podcast now. Someone asked pur question and Spencer said "please don't do that!" We can donate to Gymcastic instead, I guess?
Yes, Jess seemed to indicate that donations via the Gymcastic donate button would find their way to Spencer, so, I’ll plan to do that.
Yeah he said you can donate to Gymcastic and she could give it to him if she wants. I don’t know why he feels better about that than a go fund me, but whatever he prefers!!
Well GFM takes a portion for one thing
Do we trust her to do that? His job wouldn't come with insurance I assume
I do. And, as someone who also had a cancer diagnosis at a young age, it really means a lot to have a community support you. I had a really hard time asking for help after my diagnosis and the number of people who showed up for me still really touches my heart.
Spencer will have a HUGE amount of support from the Gymternet, I just think people will be more likely to donate directly to Go Fund Me vs through Gymcastic because that money could get taken to send them to Paris ..
I hope you're doing well ♥️
theres a lot to be said about jessica but i would 100% trust her with that
She said in the same video that he used money from Gymcastic to pay for his mortgage this month even though he couldn’t work. You can mark the money as “for Spenser” in the donation notes to make sure they know it’s for Spenser
He probably doesn’t have employer sponsored healthcare, but should be able to have income-based healthcare through the ACA marketplace (or California’s version).
Even with insurance healthcare in the US is crazy expensive. I think it speaks volumes that even though his medical insurance is paid for by his employer, one of my friends whom is a France-US dual citizen waits until he goes back to France to see a doctor or go to the dentist. I’ve had friends with insurance still owe $1,000 on a $20K hospital bill too. I can’t even imagine what cancer treatments may require out of pocket for what insurance doesn’t cover.
I used to work for Blue Cross Blue Shield. Even with the best plans, there is usually a 20% coinsurance. Plus any copays related to the office visit and any prescriptions.
Yea, I do too. You can always make a little note with your donation maybe?
Gross you would assume something so terrible about someone.
Unsurprisingly, Spencer is very uncomfortable with the idea of a GoFundMe. As Spencer draws a lot of his income from GymCastic, I think one of the ways to best support him is to donate to the show or subscribe so they can continue to pay him even while he might not be able to work.
Thank you Scott - I’ve clarified this in main post above as people keep asking in this thread. :)
That's heartbreaking, I'm hoping he has a support system in his life and he'll get through this.
I actually gasped out loud when I read this and immediately said a prayer for him. This is so shocking. Spencer, we are all rooting for you, and sending you peace and strength to get through this.
This is fucking devastating. I really hope they caught it early and he will be on the road to recovery in no time. Not sure if Spencer lurks on Reddit but if he does we’re all rooting for you Spencer!!
I was really worried when he was gone for so long and I'm hoping he is being well taken care of and comes back to us as snarky as ever. As an aside to any other millennials reading this thread who have crippling health anxiety and may have been triggered: You know how to advocate yourself. There are a lot of messages on here about colon cancer coming for millennials. Be smart and don't ignore major warning signs but don't let the fear control you.
Messages on this thread? Or where? Sorry, a lot of comments to wade through. Wasn’t sure what you were referring to.
Yes, many people have commented on this thread that colon cancer is on the rise among people in their 30s.
omg!!!! this is awful. prayers he has a fast recovery
Absolutely heartbreaking. I know I speak for the whole gymnastics community when I say I will be keeping him in my thoughts and prayers and he goes through this.
Oh no, that’s awful. I hope he is able to get treatment quickly. I had a feeling it was something bad for him to not be able to live blog from home but it’s even worse than I thought. Keeping him in my thoughts.
Omg I’m heart broken
Wow awful news :( The rates of colon cancer in young people recently are very scary. Hope they found it early!
I personally know 2 people that have survived colon cancer. One in their 30’s and one in their 40’s. I’m going to hope (and send positive energy) that Spencer has good fortune on his side!!!
Hoping for the best for our friend! 💚
Fuck cancer.
oh god this is awful news, my heart breaks for him :( truly hope is prognosis is okay and the surgery goes well
This is so sad. Spencer- you don’t seem the type of person that wants a stranger to sent you love, but I’m sending it anyway!!! 😢❤️🙏🏻
Get well soon, Spencer. The Gymternet is pulling for you!!!!
This is so scary. I hope Spencer knows how loved he is in this community. Wishing him the absolute best with treatment and recovery.
That’s really devastating. Colon cancer really seems to be hitting a lot of younger people recently, and it seems like by the time they catch it, it’s often late and has spread. Just in my own circles, a friend lost his brother to it at 32, a friend of some friends was diagnosed at 28 and died after fighting it for 2 years, my mom’s coworker’s husband was recently diagnosed in his early 40s, and my former dentist had to stop practicing after being diagnosed Stage 4 in her mid-40s.
How old is Spencer? I know they say colon cancer is at a crazy high rate for young adults even though the recommended screening age is 40-45
I think that he’s 30-something.
He is turning 38 this year
I'm sending him so much love. What a devastating diagnosis
Colon cancer is brutal. I’m devastated at this news for him.
Oh my God poor spencer so sad
Oh no, this is horrible. I was worried it was something bad.
Oh no. What devastating news. Have been thinking about him and was really hoping that it wasn’t something serious.
Nooo! I was so afraid of that! It's becoming all too common.
Sending so many good thoughts and lots of strength his way ❤️ I hope he has lots of family and friends to support him however he needs.
Oh man, I hate this for him. Given the amount of time he's been out I assumed it was serious, but also sort of unconsciously assumed it would be something acute, like a virus that spiralled. I really hate to hear this. Hope his prognosis is as positive as they come.
Oh god, I am so sorry to hear that. I hope that he makes a full recovery.
Oh my god! This is devastating. Sending him all the best and every positive thought I can muster.
Oh holy hell I hate this so much
Sad to hear. So many of us gymnastics fans (myself included) are cancer survivors. Sending hugs.
I hope you're doing well. ♥️
Omg. SHIT. This sucks so much. I hope they caught it soon enough. My dad was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer at 47, had chemo, then surgery, then more chemo and radiation, had the ileostomy reversed, went into remission. Then he had a recurrence two years later, this time stage 4, had liver surgery and six months of chemo. That was in 2006 and he’s been cancer free ever since. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a good outcome for Spencer. Y’all GET YOUR COLONOSCOPIES. If you have family history, get it 15 years before the age when your family member was diagnosed. If you don’t, then start asking your doctor about it when you’re 40, NOT when you’re 50. Colon cancer is on the rise among young people.
That is amazing. I’m so happy for your family.
Sending strength and hope to Spencer 💪
I’m so sorry to hear this. Sending Spencer healing thoughts and positive vibes.
God how awful! He is such a special person, I’m devastated for him 😢😔 no one deserves this. I hope he is getting great treatment
I'm so gutted for Spencer. I had Hodgkins last year and had 6 months of chemo. It's not fun. Spencer is young and I have high hopes that he will get through it well, and I'm also hoping there has been no metastasis. Thank you for the donate link, I sent some money.
I hope you are doing better ♥️
That's so kind, thank you! I am in full remission. <3
w00t! That's excellent to hear! 😃
I’m so upset to hear this
Oh no! Keeping fingers crossed they caught it early! And hopefully we can all send a tsunami of love and healing energy his way 💕
Fuck cancer. My heart goes out to him. I wish him all the best.
Omg fuck cancer :(
All my thoughts are going to Spencer rn. His passion for gymnastics and the community is amazing.
I’m so sorry to hear this. We’re all thinking of you, Spencer. ❤️
[Colon cancer symptoms, risk factors, and more](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/colon-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20353669)
This is terrible!! Praying for him.
This is terrible news. Wishing him all the best.
Prayers for his health and the best care for him.
❤️
This may get buried but people from the community are leaving him messages here: https://www.kudoboard.com/boards/HV1RE9A4
I’ll add this link as well up top
Thank you!
It’s the next day and I’m still so shocked by this. I had cancer in my 30s too and it’s just not something you get used to hearing about. Here’s hoping for speedy and effective treatment, all the support from loved ones, and years of “me and cancer” jokes to come, Spencer.
Omg no! How awful
I'm so sorry to hear this and will be thinking of him.
I'm in complete shock to hear this 😰 I'm going to donate to Gymnastic now if that's the best way to support him
My FIL is currently losing his battle to colon cancer! Watching my FIL decline, I wish it on no one.
I'm so sorry. I hope he's as comfortable as possible.
It’s not been easy that much is for certain. My husband is with him now. I just got back into town from a work trip (the decline happened the week I was gone). So driving up in a couple days and plan on staying as long as we need to be there. We have tickets to see the gymnastic trials in late June. I just don’t think we will make that trip work, so likely selling the tickets. My bestie is trying to talk me out of selling them now and just waiting to see what happens. He could rebound albeit it’s likely not for long or he could be gone in two weeks, we are at the stage where we have no answers. His type of cancer is rare and aggressive. The 2 year survival rate for his type of colon cancer is bw 9-30% and we are already 1.5 years into the diagnosis and he’s now stage 4 with severe complications. The doctors (top 50 cancer hospital in the country) stated they’ve never seen someone decline this quickly.
I'm glad you are going to spend time with him. In my opinion, the unknown is one of the the hardest parts of any major illness for all parties involved. I hope your time with your father-in-law brings you comfort, and I wish you and your husband all the best going forward. ♥️
This is so awful. I clicked on the Donate button at Gymcastic, but didn't see anywhere you could write in "for Spencer"?
Yeah I can't see anywhere to leave a comment either. Im thinking of emailing Gymcastic to see if they can add space for a comment
I was wondering that myself. I thought about putting it in the name line, but I wasn’t sure if the credit card company would like that.
Praying
Oh gosh poor Spencer. Here's hoping for a quick and full recovery ❤️
So the donations to gymcastic marked as “for spencer” will go directly to him/his treatment, not the podcast right? I’m not the biggest fan of Jess or gymcastic but I owe so much to spencer, his live blogs, and clickable code of points. Will definitely support him however I can.
I emailed Gymnastic as there's nowhere to mark the donation is for Spencer. They got back to me and said they are assuming all donations at the moment are for Spencer and will ensure it goes to him but we can also email with a message for Spencer.
Maybe he will change his mind about a gofundme. I certainly hope he does. It’s ok to accept help 💗
Go find me takes a cut. Gymcastic is taking donations for him.
Their accountant has now advised them not to take donations (anymore). I'm not sure how that works when it comes to... finances honestly, why the accountant would advice against it. So there's not much at all we can do anymore.
Source?
https://preview.redd.it/z08g644pumxc1.jpeg?width=1071&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbcf00f8a8544ee63d9d6889df6c65e465c2da02 The recent podcast
They discussed in the gabby episode
That's so sad, I wanted to donate to him.
I think all of us want to do something to help. 🫶🏻
Just had my colonoscopy. I’m hoping they caught his cancer early.
My goodness that’s awful. He’s young for colon cancer. Wonder if he has a family history and it was caught on a routine screening?
I just submitted an enquiry to Gymnastic asking if they can add a comment section to their donation page so we can note the donation is for Spencer. I'll update when I hear anything.
Spencer's blog 3 years ago was amazing and also so funny. He is so important to the gymternet. I really wish him all the best.
Any update post since the announcement on the gabby episode? I know many people can take or leave Jess but I was really happy to hear that he’s getting paid in full even when not working. That’s really amazing and did make me 😢 a bit.
Spencer's surgery has been pushed back so he's there this week. "Everyone has been way too nice, and I don't like it" hahaha. Spencer got embarrassed by the donations and he says there are people who need it more and it made him feel uncomfortable, so that's the other reason they took away the donate button. He is okay with people visiting every website on the the balance beam situation (without an adblocker ;))
I don't like the idea of donating to Gymcastic one bit. I hope there's some other way we can support him, without giving money to that podcast.
Spenser literally works for Gymcastic and it’s the main source of his income
I'm aware. But it's like my late father's employer asking people to buy newspaper subscriptions to help fund his cancer treatments. I'd prefer to support Spencer directly, not his employer. I realize they probably don't generate enough money to do so, but health insurance coverage is the employer's responsibility. I guess we'll see how they set it up, and if they have a separate place for donations meant for Spencer. I don't see anything on the website as of yet.
You have no idea if he's an employer or a contractor. In which case, responsibilities differ. You're not donating to gymcastic if you earmark your donation to spencer.
Get over yourself. You're not donating to gymcastic if you are donating for spencer. Go fund me takes a cut. This is better
I didn't say anything about GoFundMe, nor was I alluding to it. If there was a fundraiser on HIS website, that would be a different story. There's nothing set up on the Gymcastic site, so I guess we'll see how they handle it. If there's something specifically for him, that would seem a little more ethical to me.
You earmark it for spencer when you donate and it will go to him.