A routine screening turned into a life-changing diagnosis for Angela Tripido. After learning she had stage 4 colorectal cancer that had spread to her liver, she faced months of treatment, multiple surgeries and uncertainty about what came next.

When the cancer returned, a liver transplant offered a new path forward.

Watch: A routine screening reveals stage 4 cancer, leads to life-changing transplant

Journalists: Broadcast-quality video (2:35) is in the downloads at the end of this post. Please courtesy: "Mayo Clinic News Network." Read the script.

Screening

"I have lived a super healthy life. You know, always been an athlete, always working out," says Angela.

"I ended up having my, what I would just call, 50th (birthday) screening colonoscopy. The nurse said, 'The doctor will be over in a minute. We're just getting your husband.' I knew immediately that wasn't good," she says. "(The doctor) showed us some pictures and said, 'You have stage 4 colorectal cancer."

Additional imaging showed the cancer had spread to her liver.

Near her home in South Florida, Angela began treatment with chemotherapy and a series of surgeries to remove tumors.

But the cancer returned.

"(Another institution) identified some recurrent lesions in the liver," says Dr. Kris Croome, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon. She was not felt to be resectable because she didn't have adequate liver left."

That's when Angela turned to Mayo Clinic for another option.

"She was an excellent candidate for our liver transplant," says Dr. Croome. "She was otherwise a very young, healthy person, and so we felt that if we were able to do a liver transplant, we would be able to clear her of her disease."

"As scary as everything was that was on the plate of what was coming, I want to live, and I want no tumors in me," says Angela.

The wait

Once Angela's disease was confined to her liver and she completed a comprehensive evaluation, she qualified for transplant and was placed on the waiting list.

"My phone rang," Angela remembers. "The voice on the other end said, 'I'm calling to see if you are interested in liver that we believe will be a perfect match for you.'"

After an anxious night with little sleep, transplant day arrived on July 7, 2025. She remembers the final moments with the surgical team before the procedure began.

"I always say to the team, right before they put me under, 'Thank you all for taking really good care of me.' And there was this nice gentleman next to me, one of the nurses, and he was like, 'We've got you, don't worry,'" says Angela.

Good news

The surgery was a success.

"What the transplant has given me is there's a lot more hope for longevity — not having chemo in me, quality of life," says Angela.

Nearly a year after her transplant, Angela is getting back to the life she loves. She and her husband have celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary. They're traveling again and raising awareness in the community.

"We were involved in a charity run locally to promote screening for colon cancer with one of the local health groups, and had the opportunity to run into her," says Dr. Croome. "Just to see her out and about enjoying her life disease-free, I think, really is why we do all this."

Angela also carries deep gratitude for the organ donor who made it possible.

"You can give someone a chance at a longer life and a healthier life, and that's a miracle," she says. "I will be writing that letter and thanking that family, and I hope they know what it's given me."

Related stories:

• How innovation is shaping the future of transplant care (VIDEO)
• Mayo Clinic Q&A: What is life like after an organ transplant or donation?
• Mayo Clinic Minute: How liver transplant is transforming care for patients with advanced colorectal cancer

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