I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in late 2021 with two tumours removed from my bowel. Unfortunately, it had spread to my liver and lungs, so I had 12 rounds of chemotherapy that helped with my liver but not with my lungs. I’ve had 5 further rounds but sadly the chemo wasn’t strong enough to blast the cancer so I am about to embark on a more intense chemo regime to give the cancer in my lungs the strong message that it is not welcome!
It won’t be easy and may mean the loss of my beautiful hair but it’s my ticket to good or better health and overall, it’s a small price to pay.
World Cancer Day, and the 5K Challenge, is about closing the gap and inequities in cancer care across all types of cancer. For bowel cancer in particular, it is the deadliest cancer for those aged 25-44 and bowel cancer patients have experienced some of the longest wait times for access to new treatments and also don’t receive the same level of support as those with other common cancers.
This needs to change, and we still have a long way to go.
If you were inspired by Alana's fundraising activities and would like to support Bowel Cancer Australia through a community fundraiser get in touch with us through our webform
