By George! What’s this Cologuard® box at my door?
Meet George, a 70-year-old from Houston, as he shares his real experience with receiving a doctor ordered Cologuard test and finding peace of mind through preventive colon cancer screening.
By Exact Sciences Corporation | June, 2026
George and his wife smiling together on a sunny beach.
George is a real person sharing his actual colon cancer screening experience. He was not compensated for his participation, unless you count the personal satisfaction of helping advance preventive medicine. All statements reflect his genuine opinions and unedited enthusiasm.
When a package from Exact Sciences Laboratories showed up on George’s doorstep, he wasn’t exactly sure what it was, his first thought was “Why did I get a Cologuard test in the mail?” It arrived because a doctor or a licensed provider ordered one for you at the request of your health plan or a health system. A proactive step to stay ahead of this preventable disease.
George’s colon cancer screening experience
At 70, George describes himself as “technically retired,” though he still runs a small trading company. Before that, he spent a lifetime in construction, building natural gas pipelines, electrical transmission lines, large-scale solar fields, wind farms, bridges, and even helping beautify major cities. A long career that proves George has always been the sort of man who could easily inspire a certain ’90s anthem about a very good man.
“I started with a shovel,” he says. “And I ended up running companies.”
His career moved him all over the country, from Alaska to the Gulf Coast. Today, he and his wife enjoy a quieter life in Houston, traveling when they can.
Through it all, George stayed on top of his health. He started screening for colon cancer in his 50s and kept up with them regularly. But as he got older, the idea of a non-invasive, no prep screening option appealed to him.
George wearing a hard hat and safety vest at a construction site.
“You couldn’t have made it any simpler.”
George didn’t hesitate to try something new, especially something rooted in scientific progress.
“The instructions, the kit itself… you couldn't have made it any simpler,” he says. “Zero room for improvement, in my opinion.”
As someone who spent his life improving processes and making systems run more efficiently, he immediately appreciated the innovation behind a test that could be used at home, with no prep, no anesthesia, no time off work, and no recovery.
“The Cologuard test is everything it should be—cost effective and efficient without being lesser, medically. I’m all for it.”
For George, supporting better ways of doing things has always been a part of who he is.
“Medicine is going to continue to get better. We’re going to keep finding better ways of doing things, which is the way it should be. And that’s why I took the test. If I don’t support it, I’m part of the problem—not the solution.”
So… why did he get a Cologuard test in the mail?
It’s a question many people ask: Sometimes a health care provider, health system, or health insurance company may choose the Cologuard test to be part of a colon cancer screening program. These programs help identify people who may be due for screening and following a review by a licensed clinician, kits are sent directly to patient homes. For George, the answer was simple: His doctor had ordered it. Many doctors, in fact over 340,0001 of them, trust the Cologuard test as the first step to detect colon cancer.
A negative result — positive peace of mind
A few days after returning his completed kit, George received his result: negative.
“Talk about peace of mind,” he says. “Preventive medicine is a better way to do medicine.”
Not everyone reacts with George’s optimism. Some people feel skeptical when they unexpectedly receive a screening test in the mail.
His message is simple:
“It’s best to recognize it for what it is: a better way to achieve scientific results. It’s an advancement in the process.” He believes we all have a part to play in supporting innovations especially when they lead to faster, less invasive, more accessible ways to protect public health. “We all need to do our part to advance medicine. That’s why I was perfectly willing to use Cologuard.” And George was relieved he did.
This story reflects one individual’s experience. Not every person will have the same treatment, experience, outcome, or result. Cologuard® is prescribed by your health care provider. Talk to your health care provider about available screening options and whether Cologuard may be right for you. There are potential risks associated with the Cologuard test and it may not be appropriate for all patients. For more information about the risks, talk to your health care provider or visit Cologuard.com/risk-information for more information.
Disclaimer: This story reflects one individual’s experience. Not every person will have the same treatment, experience, outcome, or result. Cologuard® is prescribed by your health care provider. Talk to your health care provider about available screening options and whether Cologuard may be right for you. There are potential risks associated with the Cologuard test and it may not be appropriate for all patients. For more information about the risks, talk to your health care provider or visit Cologuard.com/risk-information for more information.
