Larissa’s story

It was in late 2023 when I started noticing some blood in my stools. I initially brushed it off thinking it would go away on its own and I had no other symptoms, however several months later with no improvement I took myself to the GP.

She wasn’t concerned and suggested I increase the fibre in my diet. After doing this with no success I went back and she then referred me to a colorectal surgeon.

I do remember her asking me if I had private health insurance – if I was required to go to our local public hospital (in a small regional town) for a colonoscopy I would be at the bottom of the waitlist as I was otherwise young and healthy. Thankfully I did have private health and was seen by the surgeon in Brisbane within a couple of months.

My colonoscopy was booked for June 2024 and I thought I was going in to have haemorrhoids treated. However, after the procedure, the doctor pulled me and my husband into a private room to discuss the results and I knew it wasn’t good – she told me ‘you have cancer’.

I honestly couldn’t believe it – either could my family, friends and I think even the surgeon was shocked. At 37 years of age, weighing 52kg, I was hardly the image you would think of as someone with bowel cancer.

I had two surgeries and required a temporary stoma bag. My first surgery took 8 hours due to severe endometriosis complicating removal of the cancer. However, I finally received some good news when I was recovering in hospital – the biopsy showed it was Stage 1 and I wouldn’t have to go through chemotherapy.

Although my recovery felt slow and frustrating (particularly as I had to care for two little boys aged 2 and 4), I just had to remind myself how lucky I was in that regard. In fact, I do often feel guilty I didn’t have to go through chemo when so many others do.

Now, nearly 9 months on, I feel like I’m back to my old self although it looks a little different. I certainly have to watch my diet and am conscious of not taking on too much that will fatigue me.

I am also under close surveillance for the next two years and will be coming up to my one year review in June. If I reach my 40th birthday next year still cancer-free (I’m told the 2 year mark is a good milestone) I’ll be cautiously celebrating.

My one piece of advice:

Don’t ignore any symptoms.

Please utilise the amazing support services of Bowel Cancer Australia – it helped me greatly in those early days when everything was new and overwhelming.