Getting diagnosed with colon cancer is bad enough, but for 28-year-old Kyle Trytten, it was a complete surprise. But Trytten, a truck driver who got married last July, wasn’t fazed by it.

“I didn’t let it bother me,” Trytten said.

Trytten first knew something was wrong when he began having severe back pain on the job. He went to the doctor in early November and, after a colonoscopy, doctors told Trytten he had a large tumor. After a week’s worth of tests, Trytten found out the tumor was cancerous.

He began six weeks of chemotherapy and radiation treatment in December, wrapping up his first treatment in the middle of January. Trytten wasn’t badly affected by the chemo and radiation, as the doses were low and he’s still young.

“Just a little nausea here and there,” he said.

Trytten is currently preparing for an upcoming surgery where doctors will remove the tumor from his colon, followed by another four to six months of chemo in order to erase what’s left of the cancer.

“It was a big shock to everybody,” said Robin Meyer, Trytten’s aunt. “You expect that when your 60 or 70, not when you’re his age.”

Meyer, her husband Jeff and other family and friends have organized a benefit for him starting at 4 p.m. Saturday at Lyle Liquor in Lyle. A barbecue dinner with cheesy hashbrowns, baked beans and salad will take place from 4 to 7, followed by a live auction which will go until all items are sold. Donations will go to Trytten, who hasn’t been able to work since he started radiation treatments.

Trytten may have a long way to go, but he’s looking forward to getting things back to normal. He wants to get back to work and put his cancer behind him.

“I guess I’ll take it as it comes,” Trytten said. “What else can you say? Deal with it, beat it and move on with life I guess.”