On Christmas Day 2017, I got a phone call from my mum crying because she couldn’t make it to Christmas lunch because she couldn’t pick herself up off the floor. She couldn’t stop vomiting.

I told her weeks prior to go see the doctor but she refused because, and I quote this word for word “they’ll probably just tell me I’m full of cancer.”

Mum lived over an hour away from me, so I called an ambulance for her. They rushed over and took her to the nearest hospital. Later that day we learned that she had a COMPLETE blockage in her bowel and would require emergency surgery on Boxing Day.

Mum lost 75% of her bowel that day, but the surgeons were able to stitch it back together which meant that she didn’t need a stoma. During her recovery we got the news that the tumour they removed was unfortunately cancerous. They were confident that they got it all but still wanted to do 12 months of chemo for precautions.

After her 12-month cycle she went in for her testing and the results were exactly what we had anxiously hoped for. SHE WAS IN REMISSION. MUM WAS CANCER FREE!

We were all so happy that our mum was still going to be here to watch her grandbabies grow! Unfortunately, that was short lived. She had a terrible turn 6 months later. While she was working, she had horrible stomach cramps. Upon arrival at the hospital, she had further testing done and that was the day our whole lives changed.

Mum’s cancer was back and it was far more aggressive than the first time. Mum was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic colorectal cancer. She was terminal. That day was the day we learned that she only had 24months to live… if only we were that lucky.

Mum only survived 9 months. She took her last breath on the 4th of June 2020.

Mum was 54 years young the day she lost her battle. But she fought like an absolute champion. I couldn’t be prouder of her. I just wish she didn’t have to become a statistic. 

I want to get her story out because I don’t want anyone to have to watch or even go through what my mum did.

BOWEL CANCER IS A HORRIBLE AND AGGRESSIVE DISEASE BUT YOU CAN PREVENT ANY OF THIS HAPPENING IF YOURE AWARE OF THE SYMPTOMS AND GET DIAGNOSED EARLY!!!!!! 

Please don’t be ashamed, be aware of the symptoms and get tested.