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Following the shocking story of Jody Horne, from Melbourne, who was diagnosed with rectal cancer just two weeks before her 29th birthday, we're highlighting the symptoms to look out for.
Jody has shared that because she didn't know what the signs were, she ignored the initial symptoms, eventually being diagnosed with stage 2 rectal cancer.
Unusual symptoms that Jody experienced but put to the back of her mind included tiredness, blood in her stools and occasional discomfort.
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Eventually, she suffered a rectal bleed that lasted five hours.
This led to an emergency appointment with a gastroenterologist and a sigmoidoscopy that screens for rectal cancers.
Jody's scan revealed a polyp, and medics discovered a tumour.
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When undergoing treatment, Jody endured five-and-a-half weeks of pelvic radiotherapy and chemotherapy every day.
She had a 'life-saving' temporary ileostomy (bringing the end of the small bowel to the outside of the body to form a stoma) during two major surgeries, and opted to freeze her eggs to increase her chances of having children in the future.
Due to the relentless surgeries, she is unlikely to be able to conceive naturally.
Incredibly, Jody is now cancer free, but urges people not to miss the signs.
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Jody told 7 News: "I was young and enjoying life and then the carpet pulled out from underneath me.
"I felt shocked and numb. It was an incredibly upsetting experience."
She shared: "There’s no taboo about poo, it’s just an aspect of our health; we need to talk more about it and we need to break down the stigma."
Symptoms of bowel cancer
According to NHS UK, here are the main symptoms to look out for:
- changes in your poo, such as having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you
- needing to poo more or less often than usual for you
- blood in your poo, which may look red or black
- bleeding from your bottom
- often feeling like you need to poo, even if you've just been to the toilet
- tummy pain
- a lump in your tummy
- bloating
- losing weight without trying
- feeling very tired for no reason
It also added that 'bowel cancer can cause anaemia, which can make you feel very tired, breathless and have headaches'.
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They shared that your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, general health, medical history, and whether anyone in your family has had bowel cancer.
You are allowed to request a specific gender of doctor for your comfort and you can ask for someone else to be in the room with you during your examination.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.
Kya Buller