
"Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."
Lao Tzu

Why Colorectal Cancer
After months of enduring symptoms and being told to make diet and lifestyle changes, Michael Tilley was finally referred for a colonoscopy in July 2021. The discovery of a softball-sized tumor in his colon led to a Colon Cancer diagnosis at the age of 30. Just 3 months later, his cancer had metastasized to the liver.
A 2019 study showed that of 1,200 colon cancer patients younger than 50, 67% waited three months to a year to see a doctor for their symptoms. And then they usually had to see at least two doctors before getting the correct diagnosis.
Founded in 2022, The Mike Tilley Nation Foundation's core mission is to raise awareness of Young Onset Colorectal Cancer and educate young adults on the symptoms and treatment of Colon Cancer.
Our Mission
At The Mike Tilley Nation Foundation, we feel passionate about our mission to fight and help prevent Young Onset Colorectal Cancer. We believe that with advocacy we can make strides to help people catch this cancer early and improve treatment options.


Raise Awareness
The main cause here at Mike Tilley Nation Foundation is raising awareness of Colorectal Cancer, particularly in young adults. Colorectal Cancer used to be very uncommon in young adults, but rates of young-onset colorectal cancer have been rising since the mid-1990s. There was a 51% increase in cases of colorectal cancer in people aged 20-49 from 1994 to 2012. Potentially due to lack of awareness, patients under 50 years of age are 58% more likely than older patients to be diagnosed with a more advanced cancer (Stage III or Stage IV).
Know The Symptoms
Knowing the symptoms of colorectal cancer and understanding your risks of developing it may prevent this cancer from happening to you. Or it could help you or someone you know receive a diagnosis as early as possible so there are the most amount of treatment options.
Tell a doctor if you experience any of the following: bowel movement changes especially if there is difficulty, unexplained weight loss, abdominal pain, or rectal bleeding / blood in the stool.


Get Screened
One of our goals is to help more people get screened for Colorectal Cancer. Many young adults are being overlooked because screening doesn’t typically begin until age 45 or 50, due to evidence-based guidelines. However, if you are presenting symptoms, communicate that with your doctor and advocate for yourself to get screened. Historically it has not been easy for young patients to get approved for a coloscopy, but by advoating for yourself and communicating with the right doctor about your symptoms could save your life. 67% of young-onset colorectal cancer patients said they saw at least 2 physicians before receiving a diagnosis.
Keeping reading or click below to find out other screening methods.
Remove The Age Requirement
Building on our goal of getting more people screened for Colorectal Cancer, we feel that based on the latest data 45 years old is too late to start screening for Colorectal Cancer. This is why we are working with lawmakers to advocate to lower or remove the screening age requirement. Getting a colonoscopy to be covered by insurance should be based on symptoms, not age. Contact us to learn more.
We love to support other Colorectal Cancer charity organizations including:
The Trey Mancini Foundation
Fight Colorectal Cancer
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Colon Cancer Coalition
Colon Cancer Foundation
PALTOWN
Contact us if you know of an organization we should partner with or if you’d like more information on how to donate or volunteer.
We can all make a change for the better.
What If I Have Symptoms?
Take Action Today!

#3: Get Bloodwork Done
At least once a year you should get bloodwork done to check in with yourself. This can be ordered by a doctor, or by yourself online and your blood is taken at a local lab.
You can order many different blood tests, but the 2 that should be included are the Complete Blood Count (CBC) and the Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP).
