Utah-based influencer Tanner Martin, who died this week of colon cancer at the age of 30, said his five-year battle began with a single symptom.
Martin was diagnosed with the disease, which occurs when cells in the colon grow out of control, in 2020 at the age of 25.
While colon cancer is traditionally linked to older adults, diagnoses among younger people have skyrocketed in recent years.
Oncologists have suggested that the concerning rise in youth cases and deaths could be due to obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, the Western diet, excess sugar consumption and environmental factors such as pollutants in the air, soil and water. The exact causes are still unclear.
Martin’s first symptom was a mild but persistent stomachache that began in 2020. He said that the pain was not debilitating but made him feel unwell.
Gastrointestinal medical oncologist Benny Johnson notes that some 15% of colon cancer patients report abdominal pain, described as an “intermittent crampy feeling.”
Martin then began experiencing severe constipation.
Though colon cancer can sometimes be asymptomatic, a change in bowel habits or stool — as well as rectal bleeding or weight loss — are among the classic symptoms.
Experts maintain that constipation now and then isn’t a cause for concern, but if you’re normally regular — and then you’re stopped up for weeks or months at a time — that’s not normal and could be a sign that cancer is obstructing your bowels.
“If you notice persistent diarrhea, constipation or a change in the shape, size, consistency or frequency of your stool, don’t simply brush it off as stress or diet changes,” Dr. Cedrek McFadden, a colorectal surgeon based in South Carolina and medical adviser to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, previously told The Post.
Also, watch for fatigue. A low red blood cell count, known as anemia, is present in 30% to 75% of colorectal cancer patients and can contribute to feelings of exhaustion.
Despite Martin’s telltale symptoms, his initial bloodwork was normal, and it took six months for a specialist to recommend him for a colonoscopy.
Because of the rise in younger cases, the US Preventive Services Task Force updated its colorectal cancer screening guidelines in 2021 to lower the recommended age to start screening from 50 to 45 for adults at average risk.
By the time Martin underwent the procedure, doctors discovered that the cancer had spread from his colon to his liver. He was given a Stage 4 terminal diagnosis.
According to the Washington Post, young people like Martin, who are of Native American descent, have the highest rate of colorectal cancer of any racial and ethnic group.
Despite his grim prognosis, Martin finished college and found a job, but the fatigue from his treatments and the toll of several surgeries made it impossible for him to work.
He began documenting his cancer journey on TikTok and Instagram, where his candor and optimism made him a viral sensation.
Martin and his wife, Shay, also started the nonprofit Rebels Against Cancer.
Martin, who had always dreamed of being a father, banked his sperm shortly after his diagnosis, as infertility is a common side effect of chemotherapy.
In 2024, in light of what appeared to be an effective treatment for Martin, he and Shay decided to start a family.
However, by 2025, Martin’s condition had taken a turn for the worse, spreading to his lymph nodes, and he was uncertain whether he would live long enough to meet his daughter.
He and Shay welcomed AmyLou last month.
Martin announced his untimely passing in a prerecorded video shared by Shay on Wednesday.
He wanted to record a “lighthearted” video ahead of his death so Shay could upload it and focus on grieving.
Martin, who did not have life insurance, also recorded a separate video in which he shared that his dying wish was for fans to donate to his widow and newborn daughter through a GoFundMe fundraiser, “to help replace what I would be there for.”
“For less than the price of a hot and spicy McChicken (Tanner’s words…LOL), you can give them a future Tanner only wished he could stay to provide,” the page said.
The fundraiser has collected over $500,000 so far.
