Former University of South Carolina quarterback Stephen Garcia has begun chemotherapy after revealing his stage IV cancer diagnosis.
“Round 1 of chemo in the books,” Garcia, 38, wrote via his GoFundMe on Thursday, May 7. “We are doing great and staying [in] action. The thoughts, prayers, calls, texts, DMs and donations have been a major help with the mentality! We got this!”
Garcia, who played for the South Carolina Gamecocks from 2008 to 2011, revealed he had been diagnosed with stage IV colorectal cancer on Wednesday, May 6.
“Wasn’t overly excited to share this news but it is what it is,” he posted via Facebook. “We have a great team of doctors and staff that’s confident we can beat this! It’s the only option.”
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Garcia added, “If there’s one lesson to be learned, get checked and don’t be afraid to visit the doctors office when you don’t feel 100%. The stuff we consume has been altered significantly over the years and we’ve been hearing more and more people in this age range are getting diagnosed with these things.”
At the time of publication, Garcia’s GoFundMe has earned over $194,000.
“The amount of support has been extremely humbling,” Garcia said in a video posted via X on Thursday. “No other word I can think of … It’s just been absolutely insane how cool it’s been to hear from people I haven’t really talked to that much.”
Garcia made the video after his first round of chemotherapy, and admitted that he’s focused on holding onto his long hair in the process.
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“I’m hoping like hell I can keep this for as long as possible,” he said, tugging on his long locks. “But if it’s gotta go, it’s gotta go. It’ll grow back.”
Garcia added, ”I just want to tell everybody I’m in super high spirits. We had our first round of chemo yesterday. We’re going to keep fighting this thing front foot forward. Eat an elephant one bite at a time. We’re going to keep you guys updated, and again I thank you so much for your thoughts, prayers, donations, calls, texts. I’m trying to get back to everybody, but I do just want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
The former South Carolina star is also using his cancer diagnosis to advocate for others to be proactive about their own health, particularly when it comes to getting colonoscopies.
“Colorectal cancer is often silent in its early stages,” his GoFundMe reads. “We cannot stress enough how important it is to prioritize regular screenings and colonoscopies. These preventative measures are life-saving tools that can catch issues before they progress. If Stephen’s story can encourage even one person to schedule their screening, it adds a greater purpose to this difficult fight.”
