NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
Former South Carolina Gamecocks star quarterback Stephen Garcia revealed heartbreaking news Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer.
Garcia, 38, made the announcement in a Facebook post.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia throws a pass against Kentucky in the third quarter at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC on October 3, 2009. South Carolina defeated Kentucky 28-26. (Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports)
“I wasn’t very excited to share this news, but it is what it is. We have a great team of doctors and staff who are confident we can beat this! It’s the only option,” he said in a post while sharing a GoFundMe link. “If there’s a lesson to be learned, get checked out and don’t be afraid to go to the doctor when you don’t feel 100%.
“We got this and I thank you all!”
Garcia raised more than $116,000.
The GoFundMe page said Garcia was taking the “most aggressive” route to treating the disease.
“Stephen starts chemotherapy today,” the page reads. “His medical team is putting him on FOLFIRINOX, which confirms that she is following the most aggressive treatment available to combat this problem.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia throws a pass against the Florida State Seminoles during the third quarter of the 2010 Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, Georgia December 31, 2010. Florida State defeated South Carolina 26-17. (Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports)
“After these initial visits, he will meet with specialist liver and colon surgeons to determine the next steps in his treatment plan. Stephen is now fully focused on one thing: fighting this disease with everything he has.”
Rectal cancer deaths are increasing at a significantly faster rate than colon cancer among younger Americans, a trend that researchers say will continue to intensify without changes in treatment, according to a study presented this year.
Mortality rates from rectal cancer are increasing two to three times faster than those from colon cancer among adults ages 20 to 44, according to a study to be presented at Digestive Disease Week 2026 in Chicago. Data suggests that for older millennials, particularly those aged 35 to 44, rectal cancer mortality is expected to increase through 2035.
Garcia spent all four years of his college career at South Carolina – from 2008 to 2011.
South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback Stephen Garcia warms up on the field before the game against the Georgia Bulldogs at Sanford Stadium in Athens, Georgia, September 10, 2011. (Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
He totaled 7,597 passing yards and 47 touchdowns in 40 games.
