People Diagnosed With Colon Cancer Shared With BI Their Early Symptoms

Welcome back! If you’ve ever wondered how economy flights compare, don’t worry. BI’s travel reporter put two airlines to the test. The winner felt like “a class above…for a lower price point.”

On the agenda:

But first: We have to talk about colon cancer.

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This week’s dispatch

Why is colon cancer affecting more young people?

Actor Chadwick Boseman shocked fans in 2020 when he died at age 43 from complications related to colon cancer. Five years later, the rate of young people being diagnosed with colorectal cancer has risen swiftly, according to the American Cancer Society.

If caught early, colon cancer is treatable. What complicates this particular cancer, however, is just how hard it is to diagnose since the symptoms — abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and weight loss — can lead to misdiagnosis. It doesn’t help that routine testing isn’t offered to people under 50 years old in the US.

As March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, BI’s health team spoke to many people affected by the disease. They detailed the early signs and symptoms in hopes of helping others.

• Katie Couric said her first husband, Jay Monahan, who died at age 42 from colon cancer, had symptoms of fatigue and digestive changes.
• Shannin Desroches, a 27-year-old living in Ontario, couldn’t eat without severe pain despite eating a clean diet. She was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer last year.
• JJ Singleton was diagnosed in 2015 at age 27. One of his early symptoms was losing five pounds in a week. He later discovered he had Lynch syndrome, a genetic condition that increases the risk of developing colorectal cancer.
• Tracy Robert, diagnosed 10 years ago at the age of 40, said she experienced bloating and chalked it up to IBS. Robert said, looking back, she wishes her doctors had taken her “symptoms and concerns seriously.”

My week of rest and relaxation

Americans are stressed. Instead of adventure-forward vacations involving bustling cities or day drinking on the beach, they’re turning to more restorative options.

Wellness retreats and self-care centers are happy to step up. The wellness market was valued at around $480 billion in 2024, according to a McKinsey estimate. At one resort, a week of Pilates, pickleball, and Watsu water therapy could all be yours — for $5,650 per person.

“It’s very White Lotus.”

The rich vs. rush hour

Forget hired cars. Some of New York’s moneyed set are taking to the skies instead, relying on helicopter services like Blade for their regular commutes.

Blade’s service starts at $95 for a nine-minute ride from the west side of Manhattan to JFK airport. When an Uber can take longer than an hour and cost more than $100, that seems like a deal.

Plus, the views are wild.

Debunking longevity myths

Dr. Sofiya Milman studies people who are 95 or older, a cohort known as super-agers. She aims to understand what helps healthy people live to 100 years old.

Her research showed centenarians are just as likely to have unhealthy habits as other people. She said it’s a myth that longevity is all about lifestyle or genetics — and that it’s only about living as long as possible.

These are common misconceptions.

A new luxury hot spot in Colorado

For decades, Snowmass Village, Colorado, was often compared to its glitzy neighbor, Aspen. Now, the luxury town is ready to step into its own spotlight.

As a $1 billion development wraps up, Snowmass offers newer amenities, fine dining, and luxury shopping. It also targets a set of travelers Aspen can’t: families.

Paving its own way.

What we’re watching this weekend

• “Holland”: Nicole Kidman stars as a teacher and homemaker whose seemingly perfect life in Holland, Michigan, gets uprooted by strange happenings in Prime Video’s new thriller.
• “Queer”: Daniel Craig plays an American expat who falls in love with a much younger man in Luca Guadagnino’s adaptation of the novella “Queer,” now streaming on Max.
• “The Studio”: Seth Rogen portrays a newly- appointed movie head of a movie studio head fighting to keep the film industry alive in this new Apple TV+ comedy series jam-packed with celebrity cameos.

See the full list

What to shop

• A pillow we use every night: Everyone has different sleep needs, so it’s rare that one product can cater to them all. The Coop Sleep Goods Pillow comes close, and you can learn why in our review.
• Entry-level espresso making: Becoming your own barista isn’t cheap, but you don’t have to spend $800 to start. Instead, consider the more affordable Breville Bambino, one of our favorites.
• Sweats for every occasion: Whether you’re getting groceries, hitting the gym, or just lounging around, the right pair of bottoms can carry you through it all. Check out our roundup of the best men’s sweatpants to find your own.

More of this week’s top reads:

The BI Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York City (on paternity leave). Grace Lett, editor, in New York. Lisa Ryan, executive editor, in New York. Amanda Yen, associate editor, in New York. Elizabeth Casolo, fellow, in Chicago.

Correction: An earlier version of this newsletter misstated the streamer that airs “Severance.” It is Apple TV+, not HBO.