Stephen Garcia Announces Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer Diagnosis
stephen garcia announced Wednesday that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 colorectal cancer and started chemotherapy the same day. The former South Carolina quarterback said the treatment plan begins with FOLFIRINOX, with specialized liver and colon surgeons set to enter the process after the initial rounds.
Garcia’s Wednesday Announcement
Garcia shared the diagnosis on Facebook and included a GoFundMe link to help fund his treatment. He wrote, “Wasn’t overly excited to share this news, but it is what it is,” and added, “We have a great team of doctors and staff that’s confident we can beat this! It’s the only option.”
He also used the post to push a practical warning for others: “If there’s one lesson to be learned, get checked and don’t be afraid to visit the doctor's office when you don’t feel 100%.” In another line, he said, “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.”
Maria Garcia’s Account
Maria Garcia said Stephen Garcia was diagnosed after a few days in the ER and a battery of tests that included MRIs and CT scans. She said he had a difficult hospital stay before Wednesday’s announcement and the start of chemotherapy.
The treatment plan now moves from diagnosis to the first rounds of chemotherapy, then to meetings with specialized liver and colon surgeons. That sequence puts the next stage of his care around treatment response, not just the initial scan results that led to the diagnosis.
Gamecock Numbers Behind Garcia
Garcia’s football profile is part of why the diagnosis hit so hard for South Carolina fans. He went 20-14 as a starter for the Gamecocks from 2007 to 2011, throwing for 7,507 passing yards and 41 touchdowns while adding 777 rushing yards and 15 scores.
His college run also included five suspensions and a dismissal from the football program midway through his final season of eligibility. On the field, though, he delivered several peak stretches: in the fall of 2008 he started three games and earned SEC Freshman of the Week after passing for 169 yards and one touchdown in one half against Kentucky in a 24-17 win, then in 2009 he had four 300-yard passing games and two wins over Top-25 opponents as South Carolina went 9-5 and won the SEC East title.
He finished the 2010 season with 3,059 passing yards, 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. For Garcia, the immediate story is now medical, not football: treatment has started, the first plan is in motion, and the next phase will be shaped by how he responds in the weeks ahead.
