Colon cancer typically affects adults once they turn 50 years old.
However, one man who lost his life to colon cancer before turning 30.
"He's made a huge impact on my life as a man and how to be a fireman," said Lt. Logan Huesing of Bulverde-Spring Branch Fire Station #2.
He's talking about his friend and colleague Brent Bridges.
"He was a very aggressive fireman. Something you don't see much of these days," he said.
That aggressive fireman died after being diagnosed with colon cancer.
He was told he had the disease in late 2014 when he was 28. He died in July of the following year.
"We lost him because of nutrition. He had lost so much weight from all the chemo. He had 10 rounds of chemo," said his mother Londa Bridges.
"It took a lot of us by surprise, and kind of woke us up to how serious this kind of thing can be," said Huesing.
It turns out that colon cancer runs in their family. Brent's mother had it too.
"When you have that kind of close relative that has had colon cancer, your chance for having colon cancer in your lifetime is increased by about two to three fold," said UT Health Science Center Oncologist Dr. Laura Tenner.
He saved lives while he was living, but continues saving lives after death through the Brent Lewis Bridges Foundation, started by his family and fellow firefighters.
"The idea originally was to help first responders in the community, because of Brent's profession, and keep it that way. [Now] it's not necessarily limited to that," said Benny Gaida from the New Braunfels Fire Department.
For more men's health information call 210-358-3045. You can also check your heart health on wearthegown.com. Once you're there, click on "know your risk."