Icon Cancer Centre and Bowel Cancer Australia partner to improve care for Rockingham patients

Each year, close to 15,000 Australians are told they have bowel cancer. Bowel cancer patients are often faced with unique challenges and their journey can vary greatly from other cancers.  

Meet Sunette Odendal, who is making a difference in the lives of Rockingham residents diagnosed with bowel cancer.   

Sunette is a specialist Bowel Care Nurse at Icon Cancer Centre Rockingham, supporting patients and their families. She provides care coordination, direct patient care, emotional support and assists patients in navigating a sometimes-complex health system, enabling them to take a more active role in their treatment, and improving bowel cancer outcomes by identifying and bridging gaps in the patient journey. 

Last year, Bowel Cancer Australia and Icon Cancer Centre partnered to place specialist Bowel Care Nurses in Australia. Since taking on the specialist Bowel Care Nurse role in June last year, Sunette has been caring for local bowel cancer patients in the Rockingham region.  

“My role is very rewarding, as I am able to connect with patients on a personal and emotional level to make a difference in their cancer care journey and hopefully contribute to better health outcomes for them,” she said.   

“I am proud to be a constant, dedicated point of contact for our patients during what is a difficult time in their lives.”   

Sunette is supporting patients like Paul Bertram who was diagnosed with stage 2 bowel cancer in 2020.    

“I noticed blood in my stools on and off for three or four months. At first, I thought it was a haemorrhoid, as the blood was red. But as time went on, I started to become more concerned, so I booked in for a colonoscopy,” Paul said.

Paul is a retired paramedic and firefighter living in Port Kennedy and he said he knew the prognosis wasn’t good after waking up from his colonoscopy.   

“The doctor walked past and asked if the cancer nurse had come in to see me, so I knew then that it wasn’t just a haemorrhoid I was dealing with,” he said.    

From there, he underwent a series of scans, radiation therapy and surgery.   

“After going through all of that, I was told that they hadn’t got it all and that it had spread to my lungs,” he said.  

He now undergoes chemotherapy every two weeks at Icon Cancer Centre Rockingham.   

“My treatment now is to keep the cancer at bay.    

“It’s tough because the chemo really takes a toll on my body and I’m in a cycle where I’m wiped out and can’t do much in the week following chemo. Then when I finally start to come good, it’s time to go back for another round of chemo.”   

Paul said one of the positive aspects of going through his treatment journey is meeting caring nurses such as Sunette.

“I wish I’d met Sunette earlier in my cancer journey. She’s been very good to me. Just having her there to talk to has made a big difference. We have a good old chinwag while I’m having treatment,” he said.   

“As a former paramedic, I know what’s going on. So it’s good to have Sunette there to talk to when I’m having a bad day.  

“The bowel care nurse is such an important role that makes a big difference in the lives of people living with bowel cancer.  

“I try to stay as positive as I can but I’m no superhero and I have my bad days.   

“Without the care and professionalism from all of my medical team, I wouldn’t be here. And I’m thankful for that.”   

He said he is determined to make the most of his good days before undergoing chemotherapy. He enjoys spending time with his family along with his two dogs, Bear and Chloe.  

“If you have symptoms, don’t wait, take it seriously. If it isn’t serious, that’s great. If it’s serious, you need to get on top of it early,” he said.  

“I could be in a very different situation if I’d gone to the doctor earlier. People are embarrassed about sharing their symptoms and they shouldn’t be.”    

Through her role, Sunette is also raising awareness to reduce the stigma surrounding bowel cancer, so more people feel comfortable seeking medical advice and participating in screening programs, which are vital for early detection and better outcomes for bowel cancer patients.  

“I think there is still a misconception that if you don’t have a family history of bowel cancer, you won’t get it and you don’t need to be screened,” she said.    

“In fact, most new cases occur in people without any family history and everyone’s personal risk is different. We are also seeing an increase in the number of bowel cancer patients aged under 45-years-old. So, if you have symptoms, it’s important to seek medical advice.”

Bowel cancer is the fourth most diagnosed and second deadliest cancer in Australia, yet people diagnosed with bowel cancer don’t receive the same level of support as those with other common cancers.

Bowel Cancer Australia’s specialist Bowel Care Nurse program is helping to address this gap, by funding in-person Bowel Care Nurses in hospitals and Cancer Centres across Australia.

The 100% community funded program enables people with bowel cancer to receive dedicated in-person clinical, psychosocial and emotional support from a specialist Bowel Care Nurse in the place where they are receiving treatment. Improving equity of access to personalised care and tailored support and allowing more people to access coordinated care closer to home.

Bowel Cancer Australia continues to raise funds to expand our specialist Bowel Care Nurses program so more patients can receive support from an in-person Bowel Care Nurse.

Every bowel cancer patient deserves to have access to a dedicated Bowel Care Nurse.