Randy Gonzalez, one-half of the father-son TikTok duo known as Enkyboys, recently opened up about having stage 4 colon cancer. Specifically, this Texas-based father wants to educate others on the warning signs associated with the disease.
In a 5-minute TikTok, Gonzalez told his fans — who are more accustomed to seeing father-son antics from the page — that he was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer late last year.
“I kept it to myself, and I [feel] like it was selfish because I didn’t want to tell everybody my business ’cause it was personal,” he revealed.
Gonzalez also mentioned that doctors estimated he had “2-3 years to live,” though chemotherapy could extend his life expectancy by another couple of years. Resultingly, he’s making it a mission to use his story to help educate others on the importance of getting colonoscopies to screen for colon cancer.
“I feel like I can use my situation to give awareness for young men like myself,” he said. “I’m only 34, and they said it’s very rare for a young guy like myself to [develop] colon cancer. So, I wanna do awareness.”
@enkyboys This what going on in my life,hope I answered y’all questions. Donate if you can if you can’t prayer works thanks so much for the love and support #enkyboys #enkyboy #Awarenessforcoloncancer ♬ original sound – Enkyboy
Additionally, Gonzalez went on to address how his insurance doesn’t cover the cost of his chemotherapy. Resultingly, Gonzalez launched a GoFundMe to help cover treatment costs and “bring awareness for colon cancer to all young men who are not familiar with it.”
Currently, the fundraiser has raised nearly $170,000 of its million-dollar goal.
In the following days, Gonzalez created several follow-up videos where he thanked his followers for their love and support. He also reaffirmed his commitment to fighting colon cancer with awareness.
“The fight and the battle [are] not over. We need people to share and let people know that we’re still accepting donations because we want to spread this around the world: for young men to go get checked,” he said.
@enkyboys The fight isn’t over! We are still spreading awareness for colon cancer and ask that you all please keep sharing so that we can reach our goal and continue to fight this battle together. Link in bio! #enkyboy #enkyboys #coloncancerswareness ♬ original sound – Enkyboy
In addition to his follow-up TikToks, Gonzalez has also made many media appearances to share his story.
“I want everybody, every young man 20 to 30, 30 to 40 to get checked for colon cancer,” he told KHOU 11.
“You want to do this now before it might be too late,” his wife Kimberly added.
Gonzalez’s son and TikTok partner, Brice, also spoke about the diagnosis.
“When I found out he was sick, I didn’t like it, because I knew something was wrong with him,” he noted. “But it’s going to be okay because it’s in God’s hands.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), colorectal cancers are more prevalent among older age groups. However, Gonzalez’s story highlights the importance of staying on top of your health.
The Colon Cancer Coalition notes that 1 in 5 colon cancer patients are diagnosed under the age of 54.
You can learn more about the condition here.