March 28 is my father's birthday. He would have been 84 today. We lost him 18 years ago to colon cancer.

Cancer is no stranger to my family. Almost all of my relatives have had cancer and usually died from it. So when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer 19 years ago, she thought that was the end.

She was the first in our family to conquer this disease, and my father assumed he would be just as lucky.

He...