Hayley B’s story

On the 17th of January 2020 it was Lucy, my daughters, 5th Birthday. Also on that day, I was told that I needed to gather my army. I needed my army because I was going into battle, a battle to make sure I would see Lucy’s 6th birthday. I was diagnosed with Stage 3 rectal cancer on that day, I was 36. A mum of two wonderful children, Lucy and George, who was 3 at the time. I was living a happy and healthy life, enjoying the rollercoaster of motherhood, but the rollercoaster all of a sudden got super scary and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to ride anymore. The rectal bleeding turned out not to be haemorrhoids, the tiredness was not motherhood and it took buckling pain for us to discover the monster inside me.

Mum had died of cancer in 2016 and my sister in-law was in a battle of her own, so cancer wasn’t unfamiliar to me. However, there’s this instant gut response of ‘is this the end’. The only experience or stories I had ever heard where that cancer was a death sentence (but is it?). I was determined to get the strongest army that I could and fight it out. I’m almost three years cancer free and there IS life after cancer, I wish we were more familiar with this possibility even if it’s not always the case.

From here I gave all my trust and faith to a complete stranger, my colorectal surgeon (turned out he was actually a super hero in disguise). He gave me the confidence and reassurance that he had the medical side covered and all I needed to do was build the support around me, build on my mental health, fitness and spend time my family the best I could and prepare myself for the marathon ahead.

My tumour was very low in my rectum and large, the plan was we would start with 25 rounds of radiation and oral chemo with the intent to shrink the tumour to an operable size and follow with 12 rounds of chemo. I finished the radiation treatment and with some pretty bad luck I developed an infection and was admitted for an emergency surgery for the infection to be drain and a colostomy put in. Scans afterward revealed that there were actually tumours at the bottom of my spine also (insert profanities) so this new information very quickly changed our plans.

We waited very anxiously whist my surgeon consulted the other superheroes on the Colorectal Board of Australia. Once they studied and poured over my scans and scenario it was decided that I was to travel from Adelaide to Sydney for a Pelvic Exenteration.

Next followed 12 weeks of chemotherapy, oncology rehab and physiotherapy. I do have ongoing difficulties from such a big operation and cancer treatment in general, though I am here living, I’m working and tap dancing and just started to run again. My strength has built up, I can walk the kids to school and pump iron at the gym (well I’m pumping baby weights but I’m still pumping). I’m doing pretty good considering.

No one knows your outcome, gather your army and give it your best shot. You are going to feel all the emotions, let yourself, it’s part of the journey. You can do hard things and you are amazing.