He was recovering from surgery when he discovered he had cancer

Amber Mike thought the worst was behind her. Then a colonoscopy changed everything.

When Amber Mike went in for a myomectomy, she was thinking about recovery, rest and getting back to her life. What he wasn’t thinking about was cancer. But a month after her procedure, an unexpected symptom set her on a path that would change everything. What followed was 12 rounds of chemotherapy, 3 rounds of radiation and 2 major surgeries — and a delivery lesson this systems thinker didn’t see coming.

How did you first find out you had colon cancer?

Like many women, Amber had fibroids and made the decision to undergo a myomectomy. About a month into her recovery, she noticed blood when she used the toilet. Her gynecologist confirmed that it was not related to the surgery and recommended a colonoscopy. That referral became the moment that everything changed.

“I had a very demanding life. I was a single mother, working multiple projects. Fatigue, shortness of breath and an occasional stomach ache were all things I had learned to live with.”

— Amber Mike

Were there any early warning signs you wish you had caught sooner?

Looking back, there were signs. Fatigue. Shortness of breath. Occasional stomach pain. But none of them felt alarmed. As a single mother juggling multiple projects, Amber had normalized what her body was telling her. He had learned to pass. This is a story that too many black women know well.

What was the treatment actually like?

Amber is a linear thinker. By profession, he creates systems. So when the treatment began, he made a mental timetable and expected to follow it step by step. The cure had other plans. Between 12 rounds of chemotherapy, 2 minor surgeries, 1 major surgery, 3 rounds of radiation, an unexpected hospitalization and side effects she never saw coming, she had to learn something new: fluidity. Surrender. You trust the process even when the process didn’t cooperate.

Who held you down during the journey?

Amber has what she calls an amazing “framily” – friends who feel like family. Weekly calls, text threads, meal services and gift boxes. Friends who called to make her laugh. But the person who appeared the most? Her son. At just 22 years old, he put his life on hold to make sure his mother had everything she needed. She calls him her biggest hero.

“Find something to be excited about after treatment ends. Dreaming about the day you’ll be better gives you hope and the fuel to get you through those tough times.”

— Amber Mike

What would you say to someone newly diagnosed?

Set big, tangible goals. Amber’s friend Laila Odom of BET’s fame Zatimachallenged her to envision life after treatment. It was hard to think about the future when so much was uncertain, but that vision became her fuel. Her personal goal: the next time Beyoncé tours, she’ll be there. He was in complete isolation during the Renaissance tour. So last summer, she and her sisters flew to London for Cowboy Carter — exactly two years after her first round of chemotherapy.

How has survival changed the way you live?

Amber’s life was always at an end. Move. He never stopped, never slowed down, never made room to rest. That has changed. Now, rest is not a reward – it’s a requirement. And she wants every woman reading this to know: you don’t need a life-threatening diagnosis to allow yourself to stop.

SOURCES

1 American Cancer Society. Colon cancer facts and figures 2026. Atlanta: American Cancer Society, Inc. cancer.org/research/cancer-facts-statistics/colorectal-cancer-facts-figures.html

2 American Cancer Society. Colorectal Cancer Rates Highest in African-Americans, Rising in Younger People. cancer.org/cancer/latest-news/colorectal-cancer-rates-higher-in-african-americans-rising-in-younger-people.html

3 American Cancer Society. Cancer Statistics, 2024. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 74(1):12–49. doi:10.3322/caac.21820