Natalie’s story

Kicking Ass for Women: My Stage 4 Bowel Cancer Story

I was 43, a busy single mum juggling life, work, and everything in between. I was exhausted all the time, but I just chalked it up to doing too much, because isn’t that what we, as women, always do? Push through, ignore the signs, and put everyone else first.

I had no real symptoms. Constipation here and there. But no obvious warnings, until the day my tumour blocked my bowel completely. By then, it was Stage 4. It had already spread to my liver.

Since then, I’ve been through the fight of my life, seven major surgeries, two liver resections, two emergency bowel obstructions, three bowel reconstructions. And just when I thought I’d caught a break, the cancer spread again, this time to my lungs. Now I’m back on chemo, back in the trenches and it’s now classed as “incurable”. But I’m not backing down.

That’s why I’m part of Bowel Cancer Australia’s Kick-Ass Campaign for Women. Because we need to change the narrative. Bowel cancer isn’t just an ‘old man’s disease.’ It’s hitting women younger, and too often, we’re being diagnosed too late, because we’re not looking for it and doctors aren’t either.

So I’m here to say: Listen to your body. Don’t ignore fatigue, bloating, or changes in your gut. Demand answers. Get checked. And most importantly, don’t wait until it’s too late.

I’m still here. I’m still fighting. And I’m kicking ass, not just for me, but for every woman who deserves a chance to catch this early and survive. Let’s break the silence and save lives together.

My one piece of advice:

Trust your body and advocate for yourself. If something feels off, relentless fatigue, bloating, changes in your gut, don’t ignore it and don’t let anyone dismiss it. Bowel cancer isn’t just an ‘old man’s disease.’ It’s hitting younger people, especially women and early detection saves lives. Push for answers, ask for tests and don’t take no for an answer. If I had known what I know now, I would have fought harder to be heard. You know your body better than anyone, listen to it, and take action.