Chris Cates, the founder and CEO of When Where What Austin, has told followers he is facing stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to his liver and that he has already started chemotherapy. The news dropped on the same Instagram page many Austinites rely on to figure out their night plans, and the reaction from across the city was immediate and emotional.
What Cates shared on Instagram
In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Feb. 3, Cates wrote that he was "recently diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer that has spread to the liver" and that he had started chemotherapy the day before, as reported by MySA. He thanked his girlfriend, family, friends, and the When Where What team and asked followers for "prayers and positive energy," adding that "Stage 4 isn't the death sentence it used to be."
Where the page fits in Austin life
When Where What has grown from a simple list of happenings into a major Austin culture feed that now reaches hundreds of thousands of people. Third-party analytics place the Instagram account in the high 300,000s, and the project's website offers an events submission form and links for promoters, making it part newsletter, part nightlife nerve center. For platform context, see Heepsy and WhenWhereWhat.com.
Austin rallies
Local restaurants, venues, and regular readers flooded the comment section with support, posting nearly 2,000 comments and sending shout-outs from brands and institutions around town, according to MySA. Many followers shared their own experiences with colorectal cancer and offered practical help. The outlet also noted that there were no public fundraisers for Cates' medical expenses at the time of reporting, underscoring that the response so far has been more about solidarity than formal campaigns.
What "stage 4" means today
Metastatic colorectal cancer remains a serious diagnosis: SEER data show the five-year relative survival rate for distant (metastatic) colorectal cancer is roughly 16%, though outcomes vary widely by patient and disease biology. At the same time, advances in systemic therapy, targeted treatments, and multidisciplinary care have extended median survival for many patients in recent years and expanded options for managing metastatic disease. For background on survival statistics, see SEER and the American Cancer Society.
How to follow Cates' updates
Cates indicated that the When Where What team will keep the event listings and updates flowing while he undergoes treatment, and commenters quickly began asking how to stay up to date and show support. For the latest posts and any official fundraising or support details, check When Where What or the project's social channels.
