That Bowel Gal

14/04/2026

13/04/2026

I'm baaaaccckkkk! 2026, let's go!

04/02/2026

It's World Cancer Day 🤍. Six years ago today, I was fitted with my portacath in preparation for beginning chemo the next day.

Sending love to everyone in the world affected by cancer…which is all of us. We are all in this together.

14/12/2025

Six years ago, my life split in two.

There’s the version of me who existed before cancer, and the one who has learned how to live alongside it. Not “after” it. Alongside it.

Because cancer doesn’t politely leave. It changes the shape of your days, your body, your plans, your sense of time.

Six years is a strange thing to mark. It’s long enough that people assume you’re “fine now,” and short enough that your body still remembers everything.

The scans, the surgeries, the waiting rooms. The way your life can hinge on a phone call.

I’ve lost things I didn’t know I was allowed to grieve – certainty, spontaneity, the ease of imagining a future without an asterisk. I’ve gained things I never asked for – resilience, perspective, a fluency in survival.

This anniversary isn’t about celebration. It’s about acknowledgement. About honouring the person I was when I was told my diagnosis, and the person I’ve had to become since.

About recognising that continuing to exist inside an ongoing illness is an achievement in itself.

Six years here.
Six years adapting.
Six years still showing up.
Even on the days I don’t feel brave or strong or hopeful.

And that counts.

06/09/2025

Three quick things:

1. Joe and I moved to Toowoomba about 6 weeks ago and are loving living in a big city! We move into our new home in early October.

2. My next CT scan, bloods and oncology check-up are mid- to late October. Fingers crossed for 3½ years NED!

3. Tonight, while painting our house to get it ready to rent out, I discovered what it means to be officially in my mid-30s... by actually, properly dislocating my knee (knee joint popped out from under the knee cap to the side). Thankfully, it popped straight back in, but as someone with a high pain tolerance, fking hell, 10/10 pain! Do not recommend!

That's all for now xx.

05/09/2025

It's been a busy week and it's not over yet 🥱. Sunday and Monday were , their annual advocacy event to MAKE SOME NOISE about the rapid rise in early-onset colorectal cancer. Landed in Brisbane at 8:30pm on Monday after a full day at .

On Tuesday, I drove back to Beaudesert to continue getting our house ready to be rented out. On Wednesday, it was appointments and the 2-hour drive back to T-Bar. Thursday was a washing day and then today, I was a for the drive to Brisbane, then it's back out to Beauy tonight to do more house stuff, before heading back to T-Bar on Sunday.

Feeling exhausted but grateful to even be in this position, time, and place 💙.

04/09/2025

After almost 6 years of this s**t journey, I thought it was time for a name change! I might never be ready for what comes, but I think it's time for me to finally own what does.

01/09/2025

Still going strong at . So much love and energy in the room from an amazing group of people!

01/09/2025

Another year, another . So excited and proud to be one of the amazing advocates making our collective voices heard at our nation's Parliament in Canberra.

07/07/2025

Finally, a balanced, well-researched article about the rise in cancers in under 50s in Australia that does more than trot out the old "bad Western diet and being overweight" rhetoric.

As you'll read in this article, there are MANY theories as to what's causing the rise, including exposure to E. coli, certain "forever" chemicals, and even being born via Caesarean as opposed to vaginally!

Australians aged in their 30s and 40s are experiencing unprecedented and in some cases world-leading rates of 10 different types of cancer — and scientists are desperate to understand why.

17/06/2025

It's Red Apple Day for Bowel Cancer Australia!

Every donation made before midnight tonight will be DOUBLED, so please consider giving generously and support this 100% community-funded organisation ❤️🍎.

It's our Annual Giving Day - Red Apple Day!

Help us to fill Facebook with red apples today to raise much needed awareness and funds for bowel cancer.

Bowel Cancer Australia's apple logo is symbolic of the charity's bowel cancer message: that 99% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully if found early.

The outline of Bowel Cancer Australia's apple logo appears as an abstract of a human bowel. The small hole in the apple is caused by a worm. If detected early and removed, the worm is unable to continue affecting the apple or the health of the tree.

It's the same with people. If bowel cancer is detected early, it can be successfully treated in almost 99% of cases, which means patients and their families can continue to enjoy a healthy life.

We need your help to raise $200,000 this Red Apple Day.

Donate now at redappleday.au and have your gift MATCHED, so it has DOUBLE the impact.

Help save lives by updating your profile picture and sharing the Red Apple Day message with your friends and family.

19/05/2025

How good is this 👏!

Spotted the posters from Bowel Cancer Australia's latest amazing awareness campaign in the wild yesterday!

This one features the incredible . There are 3 others featuring and Kin that I didn't have time to snap.

The powerful campaign video for those who haven't seen it yet: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18F6cdoGZy/