Healthy at 26, Hockey Player Diagnosed with Colon Cancer

When David Lyon experienced blood in his stool in 2021, he dismissed the symptoms. At 26, he was a fit hockey player and HVAC tech, and cancer wasn’t on his mind. But then a second symptom appeared: sharp pain when he stood up, which led to a visit to an emergency room where he lives in Erie, PA. The doctors recommended a colonoscopy.

The Diagnosis and Aggressive Treatment

Three days later, Lyon was stunned to learn he had stage IV colorectal cancer that had spread to his liver. He started aggressive treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery to remove the primary cancer from his colon.

He Kept Up His Gym Routine and Playing Hockey

“I tried to not change many aspects of my life,” Lyon said to CBS news. “One of the biggest things is I never stopped playing hockey. I never stopped going to the gym, things like that, through everything. I only missed one game of hockey through chemo.” 

Liver Transplant

Despite the aggressive treatment, his liver was failing. In 2024, he had a liver transplant.

He’s currently cancer-free, defying the odds. The percentage of people who are still alive five years after a stage IV colorectal diagnosis is pretty low, between 13 percent and 18 percent, according to the American Cancer Society.

Lyon visits the Cleveland Clinic to stay on top of his health. He’s telling his story to encourage other young men to talk to their doctor when something feels off with their health.