I was 38 with a six-pack when I got stage 4 colon cancer

Kevin Brady, 38, was in the best shape of his life when he was diagnosed with colorectal cancer in October 2024. 

And he wants you to know that, yes — it matters. 

“I think when some people hear of someone who’s very healthy and in good shape who gets cancer they go, ‘What was the point of being in good shape or eating healthy because you got cancer, anyway,’” he told The Post. 

On the contrary, he felt that the work that he had put into his body made him feel more resilient and in control — a reminder that he was more than just his diagnosis. 

Living in Astoria, Queens, he went to the Mount Sinai Queen’s Emergency Department one night because he had abdominal pain that had persisted for over two days.  

“All of a sudden, it would be a sharp feeling, like I almost wanted to double over for a second,” he said.

Doctors told him he had a bowel obstruction, which was the source of his pain. 

“That was basically spasms of my intestines every time they were trying to fight back on this blockage,” he said. 

“I’m fortunate that basically this thing had started to grow outward and block traffic … because that was actually what triggered the pain. I was otherwise in such great shape that my body seemed to be working around it.”

His surgeon removed a foot of intestine, along with a four centimeter tumor. That was a surprise, because Brady didn’t have any of the classic risk factors — no family history of cancer, and he didn’t smoke or drink heavily.

“The rest of me was so healthy, they were able to just connect it like a pipe that was removed,” he said. “I didn’t have to have a bag or any kind of -ostomy situation.”

“I’ve got a really good picture of my six-pack abs right before they cut it open.”

Kevin Brady

He spent two weeks in the hospital, his weight dropping 20 pounds to 140 — which is a little lean for someone who is 6’4”.  But he thanks his core strength for enabling him to move around, which came in handy — a lot. 

“While I was in the hospital, I couldn’t sleep so I would go up and down the halls with my IV pole and my tubes,” he said. “I knew that the most physical fitness I could do for myself and the least pain medication I could be on, the better the recovery,” he said.

And he did it all with a little help from The Queen of Soul herself — and the hospital staff, of course.

“That’s how I got to know all the nurses. I would put on Aretha Franklin’s ‘Say A Little Prayer’ because that was a good speed for me,” he said.

Soon, he was home and it was time to start chemo, involving a chemo port being put in his upper chest.

“I’ve got a really good picture of my six-pack abs right before they cut it open, and that’s why my scar looks the way it does, because my surgeon was able to cut between the muscle to maintain my core strength,” he said.

He was even allowed to hit the gym between chemo appointments — which he did — as long as he kept the workouts light.

“There’s now evidence that exercise following a colorectal cancer diagnosis significantly improves cure rates,” his oncologist at Mount Sinai told The Post, adding that he “100%” agrees with Brady’s belief that being in great shape to begin with helped make his entire cancer journey smoother.

“There’s always an advantage to being physically fit.” 

His mother — whom he calls his “superhero” and “a true Queens girl who would do anything for her kids” — came to every chemo appointment. He also leaned on his father, who lived around the corner during his treatment, and had his faith and a lot of support from friends to help him through.

So far his tests are clear, but he’ll need continuous monitoring in the years to come.

As an openly gay man, Brady thinks of it like HIV — just because it’s undetectable doesn’t mean it’s not there.  

“I’m not a cancer survivor yet, but I am a cancer survivor in training,” he said. 

Brady “came out” as a man with cancer with a powerful Facebook post on New Year’s Eve. 

“I originally was scared to talk about it and then realized I could empower other people by talking about it and being open, sharing my pictures and stories, which is the same reason why I’m out about so many other things in my life,” he said. 

“I know from experience, when people see you doing your thing, not claiming to have all the answers, but this is how I live and this is what I bring to the table, it does help give other people strength.”

It’s not about self-promoting — it’s about giving back and lifting each other up.

“There were other out folks in the queer community who made me feel stronger and more comfortable when I came out,” he said. 

“And it was other cancer patients and survivors who bumped me up when I first got diagnosed and I’ve got to pay it forward because that’s what gratitude is about as far as I’m concerned.

“That’s why I wanted to share my story, because if I could make people more aware and make them a little less scared of what they are going through, then I’ve left my mark.”