A Daughter’s Story that Shows Why Cancer Screening Can’t Wait

LANCASTER – March was Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, but for Flo Montebon, director of Physical Therapy at Kaiser Permanente in the Antelope Valley, it’s a daily reminder. “For me, colorectal cancer awareness month is every month,” she says. “This issue is very close to my heart because colon cancer has touched my life.”

A childhood shaped by loss

Montebon was only 14 when her mother, Min, received the devastating stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis. Her mom — just 39 — had her world shattered, her future ripped away in an instant.

“She left behind a husband and five children aged 14, 12, 9, 7 and 5,” Flo shares. Every day, Montebon watched her mom endure relentless pain: constipation, stomach aches, weight loss and exhaustion. By the time cancer was found, it had already stolen tomorrow. “It was agony  watching her slip away, powerless to help.”

Growing up without their mother changed everything, but it also influenced how Montebon and her siblings take care of their health.

Early screening that changed her life

At 28, Montebon’s doctor recommended a colonoscopy because of her family history, as delaying it could put her life at risk. Colon cancer can start as benign polyps, and by the time symptoms appear, it’s often already advanced. Only early action can save lives.

During that first colonoscopy, doctors found and removed a polyp. It wasn’t cancer, but Montebon was chilled by the thought of what might have happened if it had been overlooked. “I just had this feeling that it may have been the one that could have led my life down the same path as my mother,” she says. Early detection gave her peace of mind and shaped her health decisions going forward.

Since then, she and her siblings have stayed on track with regular screenings starting at age 28. “We all have children now, and that’s why this screening matters so much to us,” she said. “We don’t want our children to grow up without a parent, as we once did.”

Sharing her story — and saving lives

When Montebon turned 50, her friends faced their own screening decisions. She opened up, revealing raw pain over losing her mother, the annual dread as her own checkups approached, and a desperate wish to spare others from similar heartbreak. Two friends later called, “You saved my life,” they said. They cried together, bonded by relief, and the knowledge that Montebon’s pain gave others a second chance in life.

Montebon often recalls her mother’s warning: “People rush to sales and restaurants, but few listen to their bodies. Don’t wait as I did. You won’t get another chance.”

Take action, don’t wait

• Talk to your doctor to schedule your colorectal cancer screening.

• Know your family history and share it with your care team to understand your risk.

• Be a lifesaver for someone you care about. Encourage a friend or loved one to schedule their colonoscopy.

• Kaiser Permanente members are encouraged to log in to kp.org or the Kaiser Permanente app to message their care team or schedule a screening.

To honor her mother’s legacy, Montebon notes: “Don’t wait. Get screened now for your family, your loved ones, and especially for yourself.”

If you’re a Kaiser Permanente member, please visit kp.org or call 1-833-574-2273 to schedule your colorectal cancer screening.