I was diagnosed with bowel cancer at the age of 35 in 2023.

I first noticed blood in my poo in October 2022 at my sister’s wedding, but I ignored it and other symptoms for several months. By February 2023, I finally saw my doctor and was referred for a colonoscopy. The colonoscopy revealed a 5 cm tumour in my rectosigmoid colon, and subsequent CT scans showed small spots in my lungs as well.

The diagnosis brought life to a sudden halt. I stopped working, stopped playing softball, and stopped catching up with friends. Those parts of my life were replaced by hospital beds and chemotherapy chairs for what felt like the foreseeable future. But I was determined not to let cancer define me for long.

Since 2023, I have received chemotherapy and immunotherapy infusions every fortnight. I also spent some time at CRSA participating in clinical trials. Along the way, I have undergone three lung resections, a stoma reversal and surgery to remove 30 cm of my colon. Pathology later revealed two microscopic cancerous lesions hidden in the fatty tissue attached to the colon. Cheeky buggers!

Unfortunately, even after lung resections, spots sometimes reappear in my lungs. To keep them under control, I now receive chemotherapy and immunotherapy every three weeks. One of my favourite things is reading CT reports that describe the spots being monitored as “necrotic” which is science-speak for dead.

In August 2025, I returned to work as a relief teacher, and at the beginning of this year I accepted an SSO role at a high school. I love it because it allows me to use my teacher brain to support students who need 1:1 assistance.

Despite having Stage 4 cancer, I consider myself incredibly fortunate. My cancer has remained very contained and responsive to treatment. I’ve never viewed my diagnosis as purely negative. Instead, it has given me the opportunity to change direction and see life from a different perspective.

Since being diagnosed, I have been given opportunities I never would have expected. I co-created a podcast called “The Power of Awareness” with a fellow bowel cancer survivor who I now consider family. I’ve met incredible people I once admired from afar, including Michelle Obama, an experience that genuinely changed my life. I have also been able to travel regularly to Melbourne to spend time with family.

Every day, I am grateful that my life now moves at a different pace. Cancer has taught me to slow down, appreciate the little things, and embrace opportunities that may never have appeared in my old life.

I don’t know what the future holds. But I remember looking at my dad and sister when I was first diagnosed and telling them, “I’ll be fine.” Since then, I’ve done everything I can to show them that I am. My mental strength has been one of my greatest assets throughout this journey, and I credit much of my success to that resilience.