Bowel Cancer Australia

I'd been having symptoms for a few months when my GP referred me to a Gastroenterologist. A few months after that, I had a colonoscopy. We weren't in a rush, as we thought my symptoms were attributed to my long-standing IBS. When I woke from my scope, I was delivered the news that no one wants to hear. ‘You have cancer in your sigmoid colon’. After having a CT, MRI and bloods taken, I was referred for surgery and had an anterior resection in January 2024.

Initially my surgical team thought that surgery alone would be sufficient, but when the pathology on my tumour returned, there were some red flags for recurrence. I was referred to a lovely and very supportive Oncologist and began 6 months of chemotherapy. I finished chemotherapy with NED (No evidence of disease) and I was able to go back to my Teacher Aide role full time at the start of Term 4 in 2024.

I am now in the surveillance phase of my treatment which involves scans, bloods and appointments with my surgical team and Oncologist. I'll also be having regular colonoscopies.

I am so grateful to have had access to many wonderful heath professionals to support me to get back to being myself again, including Bowel Cancer Australia’s Bowel Care Nurses who have played an integral role in my recovery.

Bowel Cancer Australia have been a wonderful support to me over the last year. I have spoken to the nurses and nutritionists who have given me excellent advice and support. I'm also a member of Bowel Cancer Australia’s Facebook communities "The Movement" and "Meaningful Movement".

Every bowel cancer patient deserves to have access to a dedicated Bowel Care Nurse.

Bowel cancer is the fourth most diagnosed and second deadliest cancer in Australia, yet people diagnosed with bowel cancer don’t receive the same level of support as those with other common cancers.

Bowel Cancer Australia’s specialist Bowel Care Nurse program is helping to address this gap, by funding in-person Bowel Care Nurses in hospitals and Cancer Centres across Australia.

With thanks to the support of enthusiastic Dry July fundraisers and donors, Bowel Cancer Australia and the Dry July Foundation are proud to now co-fund ten in-person specialist Bowel Care Nurses across Australia.

The 100% community funded program enables people with bowel cancer to receive dedicated in-person clinical, psychosocial and emotional support from a specialist Bowel Care Nurse in the place where they are receiving treatment.

Improving equity of access to personalised care and tailored support and allowing more people to access coordinated care closer to home.

“Bowel cancer patients are often faced with unique challenges and their journey can vary greatly from other cancers,” explains Fiona, Bowel Care Nurse at Bowel Cancer Australia.

“Bowel Care Nurses provide care coordination, direct patient care, emotional support as well as assist patients in navigating a sometimes-complex health system, enabling them to take a more active role in their treatment and care,” she added.

On behalf of all the patients, their loved ones and staff at Bowel Cancer Australia, we would like to thank you for your support and contribution to making a positive difference in the lives of people living with bowel cancer.

Thank you for taking on the Dry July challenge for Bowel Cancer Australia this year. We are pleased to announce we raised an astounding $384,404.24 and are extremely grateful for your awareness and fundraising efforts.

By taking part in Dry July, you’re supporting the expansion of Bowel Cancer Australia's specialist Bowel Care Nurse program, providing more bowel cancer patients with the care they deserve, as close to home as possible, so they can live their best lives.

A specialist Bowel Care Nurse is a registered nurse who has specialist knowledge and experience caring for patients with bowel cancer. Serving as a point of contact for patients and their families as they navigate the health system – providing advice, education, support and direct patient care.

Thanks to the support of Dry July fundraisers and donors like you, Bowel Cancer Australia was excited to this year fund five new specialist Bowel Care Nurses in Hobart (TAS), Mackay (QLD), Revesby (NSW), Rockingham (QLD), and Windsor Gardens (SA).

These dedicated Bowel Care Nurses help to improve bowel cancer outcomes in their communities by enabling patients to take a more active role in their bowel care treatment. Making sure patients and their families understand their options and receive the critical support they need – from that initial point of diagnosis all the way through their treatment pathway.

Despite being the third most diagnosed cancer, bowel cancer patients don’t receive the same level of support as other common cancers.

Every bowel cancer patient deserves to have access to a dedicated Bowel Care Nurse.

On behalf of all the patients, their loved ones and staff at Bowel Cancer Australia, we would like to thank you for your support and contribution to making a positive difference in the lives of people living with bowel cancer.

Grampians Health was delighted to welcome a new dedicated Bowel Care Nurse at Ballarat Base Hospital and St John of God Hospital Ballarat to support bowel cancer patients across the region and assist them in their treatment journey.

Providing care coordination, while identifying and bridging gaps in the patient journey, which has the potential to change outcomes within the region.

“During their treatment, local patients often meet with several different teams along the way, and navigating the information and appointments can be overwhelming at times. Having a centralised point of contact to provide clarity and reassurance has been warmly welcomed here at the service,” said Jaymee, specialist Bowel Care Nurse.

The funding for the Grampians region's dedicated Bowel Care Nurse position was made possible through Bowel Cancer Australia with the generous support of the Dry July Foundation.

I was 47 years old, working as a busy Psychiatrist, when I was diagnosed with Stage 4 sigmoid colon cancer out of the blue. My tumour was circumferential, so I didn’t experience any bowel symptoms. My eventual presentation was in fact due to liver capsule stretch from the extensive liver metastases.

It took a few weeks for me to be diagnosed as I was positive for Epstein Barr Virus, so my GP thought I had a viral hepatitis. This seemed to explain my deranged liver function tests, but over the weeks they deteriorated instead of improving. Liver ultrasound scan was normal, despite there being multiple liver metastases. It wasn’t until I had an MRI scan of my abdomen that the metastases were detected, along with a suspicious thickening in my sigmoid colon. My diagnosis was swiftly confirmed by colonoscopy and I found myself sitting in front of an Oncologist before I could process the news.

Since diagnosis in October 2023, I have had six rounds of chemotherapy, consisting of FOLFOXIRI with Bevacizumab. The response of my cancer has been miraculous. The disease in my liver has shrunk dramatically and is no longer metabolically active on PET scan. My primary tumour has also shrunk, and I am booked for a bowel resection in the near future. This is after my Oncologist initially said I was not a candidate for surgery as the cancer in the liver was so widespread.

I have had to stop working. I am filling my time with my beautiful family, physical fitness regimes, and learning to play the piano. Life is very different now. My medical team believe I will never be cured. If that is the case, I will live with this disease for as long as possible.

My one piece of advice for others: I am thankful every day that I have income protection insurance. I am the main earner for the family. I have 19-year-old twin sons. I had no risk factors for cancer, no family history and no personal medical history. However, cancer still happened and without my income protection we would be under huge financial stress.

I have learned to enjoy each day and feel truly blessed to be alive and to have access to such amazing medical treatment.

Bowel Cancer Australia have been an amazing support for me. I have joined The Movement, which is a Bowel Cancer Australia’s nurse moderated Facebook group. It is so important to link with others with similar issues, to be able to share advice and support. From this group I learnt about the benefits of icing to prevent peripheral neuropathy with one of the chemotherapy drugs, and was the first person in Townsville to use this, with great results so far.

There is another group called Mindful Movement which is all about encouraging us to move and exercise, which helps me to keep motivated on those difficult days.

I have had several sessions with Jo, the Bowel Care Nutritionist. She has helped me with my gut cramping, and to manage my post operative diet to minimise discomfort whilst optimising nutrition.

Bowel Cancer Australia are helping me get through this journey that none of us want to be on, and are an invaluable resource for people in my situation.