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(CNN) --
Kris Sokolowski has always been active, spending his free time climbing mountains, running and practicing martial arts.
And every chance he got, he could be found boarding a plane, en route to explore the world.
On his first official date with his now-wife, Sokolowski booked flights to South Africa for two weeks.
The couple have a son, 11 at the moment, who also joins them on their adventures.
Sokolowski's outdoor activities have helped keep him healthy.
At his last annual physical in December 2020, his doctor called him "Iron Man."
But about six months after that doctor's appointment, Sokolowski began experiencing what he describes as a "weird feeling" in his stomach.
“It was like a gurgle, like you were hungry.
And it just wouldn't go away for a couple of days," he told CNN Travel on Saturday.
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Sokolowski went to get it checked out and was told it was probably acid reflux.
They gave him some pills and sent him home.
A couple of days later, the gurgling sensation was still present, so she sought further medical attention and an examination, after which she was told to see a gastro specialist immediately.
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Sokolowski's doctor told him he had a "large mass" in his colon and liver and that he suspected advanced stage four cancer.
Stage four is the most advanced stage of the cancer and usually means that it has spread from its origin.
"My first reaction was, 'How can this happen? I've never missed a date,'" Sokolowski recalls.
But at 48, Sokolowski had not been old enough for the regular colonoscopies recommended in the United States (the age has since been lowered to 45).
And until the gurgling sensation, he had not experienced any symptoms.
An MRI, colonoscopy and tissue sample confirmed the worst: Sokolowski had stage four colon cancer.
"The MRI showed it in six places on my body," says Sokolowski.
"So it was my colon, my liver, my breastbone, my spine, my lymph nodes and the walls of my abdomen."
Oncologists told her there was no cure for her condition.
"They gave me a life expectancy of between two and a half years and five years to live," he says.
love of travel
The Sokolowskis traveled to China in 2015, here they are on the Great Wall.
Courtesy: Kris Sokolowski
Sokolowski, based in Atlanta, is the first-generation American son of two Polish immigrants.
He says his love of travel stems from the many childhood summers he spent in Poland.
When he was 20 years old, he began to travel whenever he could, regularly exploring Europe.
When Sokolowski met his wife Elizabeth in her thirties, the two realized that they were united by a thirst to see the world.
That first date in South Africa sealed the deal, and the couple married six months later.
"When our son was born a year later, in 2010, we made a commitment to get him out of the country every year," says Sokolowski.
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It is important for the couple to introduce their child to cultures and experiences outside of the United States.
Since he was born, the family has been to 19 countries and counting.
"We both work for American companies, but we save all year long and it usually takes us about three weeks to travel, whether it's to Asia, the South Pacific, Europe, wherever we can go."
Solowski says that he and his wife always look ahead.
They rarely go back to the same place and focus on how they can make the best of their current circumstances and plan something exciting for the future.
Here is the family in Seoul, South Korea.
Courtesy: Kris Sokolowski
It is that attitude that Sokolowski brought to his terminal cancer diagnosis.
Says he's on the highest dose of chemo available.
Doctors warned her about the side effects of fatigue, vomiting, hair loss, and weight loss.
"I said, look, I'm a young guy, I'm 48 years old, I've got a 10-year-old at home. Throw away everything you've got now that I'm young and strong," Sokolowski recalls.
So far side effects have been minimal and he continues to exercise and run regularly.
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"I've never been sick for a day because of it," says Sokolowski.
"The fatigue kicked in a little bit, but I was able to get through it. So whatever they told me was going to happen, it didn't happen with me."
Sokolowski and his family canceled a planned trip to Iceland in the summer of 2021, but as the months passed, he was informed that, against all odds, his tumors were shrinking and he was well enough to afford to skip it. one of her chemotherapy treatments -- which occur every two weeks -- to go on vacation abroad.
Even contracting covid-19 in November 2021 did not stop the plans;
Fortunately, Sokolowski was vaccinated and only mildly ill with the virus.
The Sokolowskis love to go out on vacation.
Here they are exploring in Slovenia.
Courtesy: Kris Sokolowski
When he was given the go-ahead to travel with his family over the Christmas period, Sokolowski was delighted.
"Even above my health, traveling was still a priority," says Sokolowski.
"Because it was a commitment that we made when we got married, it was a commitment that we made to our son when he was born, that we would get him out of the country every year. So for me, that was always the number one priority."
Sokolowski and his wife Elizabeth and son Braden began planning a trip for Christmas and New Years.
They decided on a three-week adventure in French Polynesia, heading to Bora Bora, Moorea, and Tahiti.
Sokolowski traveled with his chemotherapy pills, as well as a precautionary letter from his doctor to make sure he could return to the United States, "in case there was any kind of restriction due to covid-19. And that letter basically stipulated that "Kris has stage four cancer that is terminal, which really depends on his chemotherapy."
While Sokolowski had avoided many side effects of his treatment, when departure day arrived he was suffering from a condition called hand-foot syndrome, which can cause the soles of the feet to become very sensitive and prone to blistering and swelling. .
The Sokolowskis rarely go to the same place twice.
Here is the family on a previous trip to Malta.
Courtesy: Kris Sokolowski
"When I was running before our trip I got blisters on both feet, I think I had four on each foot and it was extremely difficult to walk, it was almost like walking on razor blades," he says.
"So the day we were leaving for French Polynesia, we went through three different airports. We went through Atlanta airport, LAX and then Tahiti, and at all three airports, I had to be in a wheelchair because I couldn't walk. And that was a little difficult."
However, Sokolowski says that arriving in Bora Bora and diving into the turquoise waters was an almost instantaneous cure.
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That was probably the salt water in action, he says.
But Sokolowski also thinks the happiness and delight she felt from vacationing in a beautiful place with her loved ones lifted her spirits, providing invaluable palliative care.
Under warm blue skies, the family enjoyed swimming with blacktip sharks, jet skiing, exploring volcanic landscapes, and relaxing.
"We spend a lot of time in the water. I mean, how can you not? It's clear like glass. It's a turquoise color that you've never seen before. You know, you could see all the way to the bottom where the fish are swimming. And it's very calm." and relaxing".
living for the moment
Kris, Elizabeth and Braden Sokolowski, pictured here on the island of Moorea, fell in love with French Polynesia during their trip in late 2021. Courtesy: Kris Sokolowski
For Sokolowski and his wife, it was important to be honest with Braden about his father's cancer, while also helping him adjust to this new reality and being supportive.
Sokolowski says the family's focus is on creating memories and continuing to encourage their son to embrace new opportunities and adventures.
One of Sokolowski's favorite moments from the 2021 French Polynesia trip was seeing Braden dive with sharks for the first time.
"He was a little worried about getting in the water with sharks. But then he saw us doing it. So he jumped in," Sokolowski said.
"And the first time a shark came up to him and then he turned around and just walked away, I was underwater with him and the look on his face, it was pure excitement and adrenaline and joy. And I saw how much he enjoyed it and couldn't out of the water, I mean, it was fantastic.
Diving with sharks in French Polynesia in 2021 was a highlight for the family.
Courtesy: Kris Sokolowski
Sokolowski has not taken his son to Poland yet, but says that is on the agenda for future trips.
He wanted to wait until Braden was old enough to fully understand and appreciate the journey.
While the family is currently in Atlanta, the Sokolowskis are also seriously considering moving to French Polynesia, if they can do it with remote work and healthcare.
"For 15 days, I had a smile on my face, from ear to ear," Sokolowski says of the family's time there.
"Honestly, I think if there's one thing that's going to cure my cancer, it's going to be living a life of positivity and happiness."
Wherever they are based, travel will continue to be a priority.
In 2022, the family hopes to travel to Pamplona, Spain, to see the annual bullfighting festival, a longtime Sokolowski dream.
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Prioritize health and travel
Sokolowski hopes to defy expectations and statistics to recover from his illness.
No matter how much time he has left, he vowed to spend as much of it as possible exploring the world with his loved ones.
"I don't know how long I have left on this earth, but I want to leave behind fond travel memories and a legacy where my son can make our planet a little better," he says.
Sokolowski has a blog where he summarizes his own experiences with cancer.
He has become passionate about encouraging people with illnesses to travel if they can, and is equally committed to encouraging people in their 40s to get a colonoscopy.
When he received his diagnosis, Sokolowski asked his gastroenterologist what the prognosis would have been if he had had a colonoscopy three years earlier.
"Before I finished my sentence, he said, 'I would have had a couple of polyps taken out and you wouldn't even be sitting here, we wouldn't be having this conversation.'"
And that really hit me hard."
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Sokolowski says that concentrating on this "what if" is not helpful to him.
"I don't look in the rearview mirror," he says.
"That doesn't help me at all. It is what it is. And I only look forward, the only time I look back is to tell people my story and say, 'This is what happened to me. happen to you'".
Instead, Sokolowski's focus is on staying as healthy as possible and looking forward to future adventures with his family.
His wife, Elizabeth, tells CNN Travel that she has the same perspective.
"You need to live your life, you only have one life," he says.
"Memories are really what will make you happy in the end."
Adds Sokolowski: "The one thing I've always told people is to get out of your bubble, get out of your city and go see the world."
"It amazes me how many people aren't interested in traveling, or are interested and say 'Well, we can't do this' and make excuses. Drop the excuses and do it."
Pictured above: the Sokolowski family in Padar, Indonesia. Courtesy Kris Sokolowski
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