New jersey sisters battling stage 4 colon cancer together

New Jersey Sisters Battling Stage 4 Colon Cancer Together

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1 min read
October 12, 2024

Two sisters from New Jersey, Eloisa Oquendo and Joyce Melo, are facing the devastating challenge of battling stage 4 colon cancer together. Eloisa, 40, was first diagnosed in February 2021 after experiencing severe lower abdominal pain, which led to emergency surgery where doctors discovered her cancer. After multiple surgeries and rounds of chemotherapy, she was declared cancer-free, but her disease returned earlier this year.

In an unexpected turn, her younger sister, Joyce, was diagnosed with the same condition in March 2024 at the age of 37. Joyce’s cancer was discovered after a routine surgery to remove her appendix. Initially thought to be a less severe stage 1 diagnosis, further testing revealed that she too had stage 4 colon cancer.

Both sisters are now undergoing treatment together, a situation they describe as a “nightmare.” The simultaneous diagnoses of such a severe cancer in two siblings are incredibly rare. Stage 4 colon cancer has a grim prognosis, with nearly 90% of patients not surviving beyond five years. However, the sisters are determined to face this battle together, offering mutual support.

This case also highlights the growing concern over the rise of colorectal cancer in younger adults under 50, which has increased significantly over the last two decades.

The news was originally reported by the Daily Mail.

Phil Stilton

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

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