At 44 years old, Melissa Weir thought the relentless exhaustion she was experiencing was just part of life. Between full-time work and raising two teenagers, fatigue felt almost expected. But a routine visit to a new GP for painful plantar fasciitis uncovered a life-changing diagnosis. Here Melissa shares her story in the hope it will be a powerful reminder of the importance of listening to your body, even when the symptoms seem easy to dismiss.
“In June 2025, I walked into a local medical centre to see a GP I’d never met before as I was suffering from plantar fasciitis, and I was struggling to walk. I was mid-forties, generally healthy and had no regular doctor. While I was there, I casually mentioned the crushing fatigue I’d been feeling. Fatigue that wasn’t normal for me. Fatigue that wasn’t your normal ‘I need a nap’ tiredness. I wondered aloud if it was perimenopause or just mid-forties life juggling full-time work, two teenagers and a busy schedule.
That GP was vigilant. She handed me a pathology form and a bowel screening kit. I did both immediately. The results showed blood in all three samples and anaemia. A week later, I had a colonoscopy. On 30 July 2025, my husband and I sat in a small hospital room and heard the words that divide your life into before and after: “You have bowel cancer.” Within days I had a CT scan, met a colorectal surgeon and just three days later underwent a four-hour extended right hemicolectomy. I spent seven nights recovering in hospital. Pathology confirmed 29 polyps removed and cancer in four lymph nodes. I had stage three bowel cancer.
Five weeks later I began six months of fortnightly chemotherapy at Icon Cancer Centre North Lakes. It was an extremely difficult journey. Physically exhausting and emotionally overwhelming. A relentless battle that has touched every part of my life. Throughout it all I had my loving family and friends and a highly skilled medical team of nurses and specialists.
And I had Leah. Leah is a Specialist Bowel Care Nurse at Icon North Lakes who walked every step of the journey with me. Along with all the supportive nurses at Icon, Leah has been an educator, advocate, encourager and a steady presence. Leah visited me every time I underwent chemotherapy. She checked in regularly. She answered my questions and explained things when my brain was foggy. She reminded me what was normal. She celebrated milestones. She helped me prepare for what came next.
Having a specialist bowel care nurse walk beside me has made the world of difference. At the beginning of my journey, I quickly realised that every cancer experience is unique and I was receiving specific treatment for bowel cancer. Leah helped me understand my treatment and navigate the emotional weight of it.
Cancer is not just a physical battle. It is mental, relational and deeply personal. Leah has supported all of it. I never imagined I would need this kind of support. I am profoundly grateful that when I did need the support, it was available thanks to the amazing work and research provided by Bowel Cancer Australia.”