Rebekah’s story

I was at the peak of my life, I had just finished my studies to be a paramedic, I was excited to get back in the workforce after having a baby at 40. He was settled into school and I was excited for what was to come, but I fell ill with horrendous tummy pain and every time I presented to the emergency room I was turned away with gastro and reflux.

On the 6th presentation I was vomiting solid food, and the ED doctor sent me for an emergency CT scan. He returned in half an hour and whilst holding my hand told me the news that they found a mass on my sigmoid colon. I stopped hearing what he was saying after the ‘you’ve got cancer’.

My world was turned upside down in 5 minutes, from that day I was then booked in for a colonoscopy, when those results came back it confirmed I had Stage 3c mucinous adenocarcinoma bowel cancer.

I immediately thought – I’m going to die. I was then booked in for my bowel resection surgery, a long surgery and recovery I was ready to get through. Two days after my surgery I became septic and very sick. They rushed me back to surgery where it showed my resection had a leak and this surgery resulted in a colostomy bag!

I was faced with a longer recovery after two major surgeries within two days and now this hole in my stomach. I cried. I hated. I asked the why me and then I said why not me!

I began to heal I met with my oncology doctor and team and I went into fight mode. I started chemo on the 1st of June 2024 and besides the normal side effects I felt good. In August I was admitted to ED with severe diarrhoea and vomiting and a CT scan showed a shadow on my left ovary the size of a pea, but I also had a gastro bug.

My oncologist sent me for a PET scan and ultrasound and two weeks later I was told the news my chemo had stopped working and my cancer had metastasised.

I now knew I was in for the fight of my life. On the 2nd October I presented to hospital with a distended tummy and severe pain, I was sent for a CT which showed that pea sized shadow had grown to the size of an orange and was pressing on my bladder. I was discussed at a meeting of colorectal doctors and put onto palliative pain care until surgery.

On the 17th October I was transferred to another hospital for a full hysterectomy and oophorectomy 11hr surgery and the next morning greeted by my amazing surgeon to be told he took me from months to years. My ovary tumour was the size of a soccer ball. It was in my uterus, my pelvis, both ovaries, my appendix, behind my belly button and the lining of my stomach.

As of 18th November 2024 I was cancer free. I celebrated my 48th birthday, Christmas and my 8yr old stating Year 2.

On the 3rd February 2025, I received my 4 month scan and blood results I am NED and I am through the hardest year of my life… my fight is not over, my anxiety gets to me, I’m left with the after effects of chemo and surgery but I’m here and I’m alive and I’ve got a second chance. It certainly puts life in perspective.

My one piece of advice: Advocate for yourself push for answers push for tests.