After being sick on and off for 12 months back and forth to the doctor all the time, only to be told there was nothing wrong with me and that maybe it was in my head!

Then I started to bleed from the bowel a lot, I went back to the ED and the doctor told me there was nothing wrong and it was likely haemorrhoids and there was nothing to worry about.

So, I decided (with a lot of encouragement from my parents) to go see a gastroenterologist privately and get a colonoscopy.

Less than 24hrs later I was told I had bowel cancer.

I had two more colonoscopies, then a bowel resection and spent seven days in ICU. I was told it was very unlikely it had spread. In fact, a 0.01% chance and that was wrong.

I was then told I needed chemotherapy and I was stage III.

Given my age I was told that they weren’t sure the damage it would do to my ovaries, so before chemo I did a round of IVF injections and had an egg retrieval to freeze embryos.

Most of 2012 was taken up with surgery, treatment and hospital visits, and ever since yearly check-ups including blood tests, CT scans and colonoscopies.

I was lucky to be able to fall pregnant naturally twice and have two wonderful children.

10 years on now, but some scars don’t heal. I am very grateful to my surgeon and nurses and oncologist, without them I wouldn’t be here.

My advice is, if something is wrong keep pushing. You know your own body and when something isn’t right you need to stand up for yourself.

After this was over my husband and I have been participating raising money wherever we can.