Liza’s bowel cancer battle

Kununurra local, Liza Mann is one of the growing number of young Australians diagnosed with bowel cancer. At just 36-years-old, Liza was diagnosed with stage III colorectal cancer in 2018.

“I had blood in my faeces. I didn’t think much of it at first and figured it would go away, so I left it for a month or two. Then I started to get stomach cramps and the blood became more frequent, so I went to see the doctor. She sent me for blood tests and a colonoscopy. As soon as my colonoscopy was done, I was told I had a tumour in my lower bowel and they were 99% sure it was cancerous. Bowel cancer had never crossed my mind. I’ve always kept fit and had a healthy diet, so it was a massive shock,” Liza said.

“I’ve been at Icon since the start of my treatment and the team have been amazing. I arrive on the Monday, have my treatment on Tuesday morning and fly home on Tuesday afternoon. I don’t want to be away from Jarrod and the girls any longer than I need to be. I want to make the most of the time I have left,” Liza said.

Liza, who suffered the loss of a colleague to bowel cancer in 2020 at just 33-years-old, has a powerful message to share when it comes to bowel cancer.

“Bowel cancer is affecting people under 50 more and more every year. If a person is 50 or older, screening is a must. If a person is under 50 and experiencing changes ‘down there’ or has a family history, screening is a must. It is treatable and beatable, but people must be proactive in their health for this to happen,” Liza said.