Tim R’s story

I was diagnosed with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) as a child so routine colonoscopies have been a feature in my life since I was 10 years old.

At 13 I underwent major surgery to remove 80% of my large bowel. Whilst it was undertaken to significantly reduce my cancer risk and to make ongoing surveillance more manageable it also meant that I would continue living my life knowing there was a risk of developing bowel cancer in the future.

In 2021, bowel cancer became painfully close to home in another way, after a long and courageous battle with stage four bowel cancer my Mum passed away at the beginning of 2021. Prior to her passing, we had a conversation that I would continue with my regular check-ups and do everything in my power to prevent me from developing cancer.

Life eventually found a new rhythm, and my partner Brok and I made the most of travelling throughout Australia and abroad. We had been to the UK making the most of seeing as many shows as we could on the West End and where we got engaged – life couldn’t have been better.

It was only a matter of days later once we had returned home that I went in for my routine colonoscopy and gastroscopy. As I came out of the procedure, still half asleep, I overheard my gastroenterologist tell the nurse that he would come back when I was more awake. In that moment, I knew something wasn’t right.

At the age of 34, I was told that he had located a polyp that likely contained cancer, but it wouldn’t be confirmed until my specialist had the pathology results back. I underwent further scans and it was confirmed that I had Stage 1 bowel cancer. Thankfully it was contained to the polyp and had not spread. Hearing the words ‘you have cancer’ took some time to process.

In July, I underwent pouch surgery (a W-Pouch in my case) with a mucosectomy to remove the remaining large bowel and rectum to significantly reduce my future cancer risk, along with the creation of a temporary loop ileostomy.

What was expected to be a five-hour operation lasted ten and a half hours, a short stay in ICU and a couple of weeks on the ward. Whilst the last six months has gone relatively quickly, it wasn’t without some complications. My wound broke down resulting in a further admission to hospital and the application of a VAC (vacuum assisted closure) dressing.

In September I returned to hospital to have my temporary loop ileostomy reversed. I am forever grateful that my cancer was found early. The routine surveillance that I started as a child literally saved my life. The support I have received from Bowel Cancer Australia has been invaluable and has helped me feel empowered during my recovery.

My one piece of advice:

Never ignore your screening reminders or your symptoms and never assume it won’t happen to you. If you’re eligible for screening, do it. If you have a family history, be proactive and advocate for yourself. If something doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts and follow it up. Early detection saved my life, just as I promised my mum it would. One appointment, one test, one conversation with your doctor can change everything.