Fabian C’s story

I had been working hard to get fit, as soon I was to be celebrating my second 21st and turning 42 years young.

I had thought it may have been the bullet coffees I was consuming that caused the mucus in my stool.

Being on a fitness kick and considerate of my new health journey, I took myself off to the GP to have a chat.  Unsure what was going on, she said let’s investigate, and referred me to go and have a colonoscopy.

I remember waking up, Beck, my wife was sitting next to me, and thinking this seemed strange.  The doctor walked over and proceeded to inform me that I had a tumour in my rectum.

The results came back, I was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer.

Treatment was to be radiation and chemotherapy, followed up with surgery to remove my rectum.  I breezed through chemo and radio, however, the surgery knocked me for six.

After seven hours in the theatre, I woke up with an ileostomy bag.  I hated that thing.  Fortunately, I was able to have it reversed, and requested that it be done as soon as possible as it was messing with my head.

The reversal resulted in having to re-establish my gut health, and many many stays in hospital with multiple bowel obstructions over the course of two years.

Today I’m fortunate to have found a new normal and am very grateful to my GP for sending me off to have a colonoscopy.

I’m now living proof it’s treatable and beatable if detected early.