When Kangaroo Island local Emma Bell was diagnosed with bowel cancer at just 42, her world changed in an instant.

After months of tests with no clear answers, Emma underwent a colonoscopy expecting another inconclusive result. Instead, she was told she had a tumour that was very likely cancerous and would require surgery and chemotherapy.

"I was in complete shock," Emma recalls. "But my surgeon said, 'Stay positive – we've found it now and we can do something about it.' Those words gave me hope."

Throughout her treatment at Flinders Medical Centre, she and her family experienced the kindness and compassion that helped carry them through one of the most difficult times in their lives.

While Emma is incredibly grateful for the treatment that saved her life, she says the journey didn't end when chemotherapy finished.

"Maybe the lingering side effects like peripheral neuropathy – you don't want to complain about it, because it's a product of a treatment that has hopefully saved your life," she says. "But it's also a constant reminder and can be painful and make you feel clumsy."

Peripheral neuropathy can cause pain, numbness and functional impairment in the hands and feet, and for some patients, these side effects can be long-lasting or permanent.

This Dry July, Flinders Foundation is raising funds to purchase specialised cold therapy equipment for patients receiving certain chemotherapy treatments for the Infusion Suite at Flinders Medical Centre. By cooling patients' hands and feet during chemotherapy infusions, blood flow to vulnerable nerves is reduced, limiting exposure to neurotoxic agents and helping reduce the risk of peripheral neuropathy.

For Emma, this is about giving future patients the opportunity not only to survive cancer, but to enjoy a better quality of life after treatment.

"It's wonderful to know this equipment will be available for patients in the Infusion Suite," Emma says. "They're not something that's easy to transport or store yourself, especially if you're travelling for treatment. Anything that helps reduce the risk of neuropathy is such an important investment in patients' quality of life."

By taking part in Dry July or making a donation, you can help ensure Flinders patients like Emma move beyond cancer with greater comfort and confidence.