Renae B’s story

At 44 years old, I never imagined I would be diagnosed with bowel cancer.

I had no symptoms at all – just low iron levels that didn’t seem quite right. That small clue led to a colonoscopy in November 2024, which changed my life.

I was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Just weeks later, in December 2024, I underwent a right hemicolectomy. The pathology confirmed Stage 3B bowel cancer with a BRAF mutation, meaning the cancer had spread to lymph nodes and further treatment was needed.

At the time I was a working mum, balancing part-time work and caring for my children, trying to keep life as normal as possible.

In January 2025, I began six months of chemotherapy, finishing in July 2025.

Chemo was one of the hardest things I’ve ever faced. The steroids, exhaustion, and side effects took a toll physically and emotionally. My hair thinned, I gained weight, and at times I felt like I had lost parts of myself. I was also left with peripheral neuropathy in my hands and feet.

But I kept going.

Through it all, I was incredibly grateful for the support of the team at Bowel Cancer Australia, especially Fiona, Hannah and Jo, who provided guidance, support, and reassurance when things felt overwhelming.

Cancer isn’t just physical – it’s a mental and emotional battle every day. But the support of family, friends, and the wider bowel cancer community helped me keep moving forward.

After finishing chemotherapy, we hoped that chapter was behind us.

But in January 2026, a routine CT scan found one small liver metastasis.

In February 2026, I went into surgery for what was planned as keyhole liver surgery, but during the operation it needed to be converted to an open liver resection.

Thankfully, the surgery was very successful, and the tumour was removed.

Right now, I am in the next phase of the journey – waiting for follow-up CT and PET scans to determine whether any further treatment is needed.

This journey has been full of uncertainty, fear, and resilience. It has also shown me the incredible strength that comes from family, community, and hope.

One sunrise at a time.

My one piece of advice:

Get your blood tests done regularly. If something isn’t right push for more test and referrals to specialists who can investigate further for you.

Keep moving and finding those small daily glimmers. The mindset is so important. It’s a lonely journey at times, but you can do it.