“In January 2018 my identical twin sister (29 years of age that year) Christina was experiencing pain in her stomach all day. When I arrived home she advised she was still experiencing pain and we made her attend the Hospital thinking perhaps it was her appendix.
They did an ultrasound and couldn’t see anything but fluid, they questioned ‘colitis’ and said perhaps a cyst burst, although there was no other present. They sent her home and advised if pain persists to then come back.
When the pain became worse in February, she went to her GP who looked at her ultrasounds, ordered bloods and stools and called rapid access to order a colonoscopy to query if she perhaps had Crohns disease.
Bloods came back and doctor asked her to go on iron tablets as she was iron deficient, anaemic.
As she awaited her scopes, she was still sick and ended up in hospital again on 30th March. As she was due back in a week for her scope they discharged her with some medication for pain and bloating.
The day of her preparation for her scopes (cleanse day) she started vomiting and the cleanse was not working. She ended up in hospital again in emergency at 2am which we later found out was caused due to the blockage from the tumour.
When she had her scopes the tumour was found and it was said to be cancerous. Surgery was then booked in to remove the tumour (and a temporary stoma was given). They then confirmed the cancer was Stage 4 and had spread to her pelvic area including her ovaries/uterus.
No one wants to hear ‘you have cancer’. Being so young it’s not something you ever think of, then having to think about the possibility of dying, not being able to have kids of your own – it was so much to process, especially at 29 years old.
Sadly, Christina was only 30 when she left this world, passing away a mere 14 months after diagnosis. I will always cherish our 30th birthday we got to enjoy as our last birthday together and that I was there by her side throughout this tough journey, until her last breathe.” ~ Emily.
If you were inspired by Emily's fundraising activities and would like to support Bowel Cancer Australia through Dry July further details are available here.
