Smashing Cancer and Stoma Stigma

By Kevin Smets

I never imagined that one of the most defining chapters of my life would begin just one month before my daughter was born.

In 2020, I was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. A few weeks later, as my family was preparing to welcome my daughter into the world, I was preparing for something entirely different. I started chemotherapy and radiation the very same week she was born. While most new dads are figuring out diapers and sleep schedules, I was learning how to fight for my life at the same time I was learning how to be a father.

Through it all, my wife Dasha was the backbone of our family. She took care of both of us, stepping into a role that no one ever expects to have to play. Watching her carry that weight with strength and love is something I’ll never forget.

Before everything changed, I was part of something truly special called The Schmoedown – it was like WWE meets movie trivia, where larger-than-life characters and real competition collided. I stepped into that world as “The Smasher,” and what started as a persona quickly became something the fans rallied behind in a very real way. They even started a #SmashCancer movement that really carried me through it all, along the way the fans even held a 24-hour stream fundraiser that literally lifted my family up financially while I couldn’t work for nearly a year.

That preparation didn’t just help me physically, it gave me control in a situation where most things felt out of my hands.

And then after nine months of fighting, under the care of such wonderful oncologists and surgeons at UCLA medical center, I underwent stoma surgery. But here’s something that made a huge difference for me mentally. About five months before the surgery, I already knew there was a strong chance I would end up with a stoma. So instead of avoiding it, I leaned in. I researched everything I could. In my research and quest to be more educated I leaned on sites like Ostomy.org and colonclub to really acquaint myself for the journey ahead, and it was a crucial part of my surgery prep.

By the time ostomy surgery came around, I was so prepared that nurses actually commented that I knew as much as they did. That preparation didn’t just help me physically, it gave me control in a situation where most things felt out of my hands.

Today, I’m proud to say I’m in remission.

But the journey didn’t stop there.

I decided to start sharing my story online, documenting my stoma and ostomy journey. The reason was simple, and honestly, a bit personal. A friend once told me their cousin said they would rather die than have an ostomy. That stuck with me. I couldn’t shake it. And I knew right then that there was a stigma that needed to be broken.

So I made it my mission to smash that stigma.

Since then, I’ve received messages from people still in their hospital beds, sometimes just waking up from emergency surgery, telling me they found my content and it helped them feel less alone. Those messages mean everything to me.

If sharing my experience can help even one person feel stronger, more prepared, or more hopeful, then it’s all worth it.

This journey isn’t just about survival. It’s about mindset. It’s about showing that life doesn’t end with an ostomy, it just changes. And sometimes, that change can lead to a purpose you never saw coming.

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In addition to Kevin’s Youtube channel you can find him on TikTok and as @Kevsmashcancer on Instagram.