Sarah C’s story

For about a year, I experienced intermittent stomach discomfort (bloating, occasional diarrhoea, cramping) and fatigue. Having recently become a first-time parent, I initially attributed these symptoms to life with a baby.

When further investigation by my GP revealed blood in my stool, routine blood tests ruled out anything sinister, leading to a ‘precautionary’ colonoscopy on the 2^nd of February 2017. Instead of a minor issue, I received a Stage 3 bowel cancer diagnosis: a 7cm malignant tumour in my sigmoid colon that had spread to my lymph nodes, though thankfully no other organs.

Six weeks after having my sigmoid colon removed, I began my first round of chemo and words like portacath and FOLFOX became regular vocabulary. Due to heart attack-like symptoms, I received my second and third cycles of chemo in a cardiac ward, but as I continued to become extremely unwell, we ended up making the decision to finishing off the remaining nine cycles without the culprit drug (oxaliplatin) on board. 

Whilst it made me terribly anxious to know I wasn’t receiving the ‘gold standard’ treatment, my incredible medical team and family got me through, and I finished treatment in September 2017. To date I have remained ‘NED’ (No Evidence of Disease’) – just another phrase to add to the vocabulary.

Returning to work part-time in October really helped my mental wellbeing, though the true emotional weight of what I had just been through caught up with me around Christmas in a sudden wave of post-treatment depression. That was something I didn’t see coming and an important part of recovery I had underestimated.

I have tried to focus on the ‘silver linings’ of this diagnosis.  One of these being subsequent genetic testing that revealed I carry the BRIP1 gene mutation (which increases ovarian cancer risk significantly), making my bowel cancer diagnosis a fortuitous discovery of that hidden risk.

The other is being able to channel the hardest chapter of my life into meaningful action through Bowel Cancer Australia’s Never2Young campaigns. I have remained connected with many others involved in Never2Young through Call on Canberra and events promoting Bowel Cancer Australia’s continuing professional development education series.  I also now have life- long friends through Bowel Cancer Australia’s peer support program.

Now nearing 10 years post-cancer diagnosis, my life has transformed in both resilience and joy. My status remains ‘NED’ while I continue to have regular check-ups and colonoscopies to closely monitor a concurrent diagnosis of sessile serrated polyposis. In 2022, much to our surprise, we were blessed with a second daughter, making my ongoing advocacy even more personal.

Occasional symptoms will always bring fleeting pangs of worry – I accept this is part of my life post cancer. But the other part involves an ongoing mission: to raise awareness that you are never too young to get bowel cancer, to champion listening to your body, and to support others navigating this journey.