After stage IV colon cancer and a liver transplant, David Lyon is now cancer-free
|
Bruce Raymond
Mar 28, 2026 (3:07 PM)
|
|
Photo credit: Screenshot
David Lyon was 26, playing hockey and staying active, when colon cancer changed everything after symptoms he first brushed aside showed something was badly wrong.
Back in 2021, Lyon noticed blood in his stool. He let it slide at first because cancer was nowhere on his radar.
Then another symptom hit. He felt sharp pain when he stood up, and that finally sent him to the emergency room in Erie, Pennsylvania. Doctors told him he needed a colonoscopy.
Three days later, the news landed hard. Lyon was diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer, and it had already spread to his liver.
That's the part that sticks with you. He was young, fit, and still got blindsided by a disease many people still connect with older adults.
His treatment was aggressive right away. Lyon went through chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery to remove the primary cancer from his colon.
David Lyon refused to let cancer take over his life
Even in the middle of treatment, Lyon tried to hold onto his routine. He kept going to the gym and stayed on the ice, missing only 1 hockey game during chemo.
That detail says plenty about how he handled the fight. He wasn't pretending nothing was wrong. He just refused to give the disease the whole bench.
Still, the situation got more serious. Despite the early treatment push, his liver began failing, and in 2024 he underwent a liver transplant.
Now comes the update that gives this story its weight. Lyon is currently cancer-free and continues monitoring his health through Cleveland Clinic.
The broader numbers show how steep the climb can be. The American Cancer Society lists the 5-year relative survival rate for colon cancer at the distant stage at 13 percent.
That's why Lyon speaking out matters. He wants younger men to stop brushing off symptoms and get checked when something feels off.
This isn't just a survival story. It's a warning shot about catching symptoms early, because Lyon's road got much heavier by waiting.
Also read on Puck Reporter :
Matt Duchene’s maintenance day was really about a painful goodbye
Matt Duchene’s maintenance day was really about a painful goodbye