As a pediatrician, I’m not sure if my familiarity with disease has made my fight against colorectal cancer easier or harder. What I can tell you is that I’ve learned more about health and well-being from being on the other side of the stethoscope than I ever could’ve by just going to medical school.

Here are the four biggest lessons I’ve learned.

Don’t ignore your body’s warning signs.

Fortunately, I’ve never had...