How young dad's world came crashing down after being given earth-shattering diagnosis three times

A Queensland dad is living every family's worst nightmare - again.
Justin Adams, a father-of-three and small business owner from Yeppoon, has been told for the third time in four years that his cancer has returned.
After surprising doctors with miraculous recoveries following his first two diagnoses, Justin was told in April this year that the deadly disease had come back, turning his life upside down once again.
Justin was first diagnosed with stage three colon cancer at the age of 37 in September 2021 - shortly after building his dream home and relocating his wife, Tanya, and their children to a new town.
'It was his life dream to open a micro-brewery. So we built a home and moved to Yeppoon from Brisbane, and we were in the process of setting up the business,' Tanya told FEMAIL.
'We had secured a venue, put a deposit on brewing gear, and were about to set up and open the microbrewery when he got his diagnosis.'
Tanya, a doctor of 10 years, said Justin had noticed a few minor symptoms that seemed out of the ordinary, and they both agreed to monitor them before panicking.
'Justin had mentioned to me a few times on and off over the preceding few months that he'd had some bleeding when he went to the toilet. He'd had a little bit here and there, and it would come go away again, nothing major,' Tanya said.
'When he had a significantly larger episode of bleeding, I said "we really need to go and have a look at this and see what it is, because that's not normal".'
Tanya organised an urgent colonoscopy for Justin at the hospital she worked at, initially attributing his symptoms to a less serious diagnosis - either ulcerative colitis (inflamed bowels) or Crohn's disease, both of which are non-deadly and treatable.
However, after his check-up and scans, Tanya and Justin's worst fears were realised after doctors discovered a tumour in his large intestine.
'The surgeon called me after (Justin) had the colonoscopy procedure, and said, "I need you to come into the hospital to pick him up, and I need to talk to you when you get here," which is never a good thing,' she said.
The diagnosis came as a shock, and even more so because there were no other symptoms, and Justin had no family history of cancer.
Things moved quickly from that moment, with Justin whisked into surgery to remove a section of his large intestine, along with the cancerous tumour and surrounding lymph nodes.
The surgery was a success, and although Justin was technically cancer free, doctors decided he should have six months of preventative chemotherapy to reduce the risk of recurrence or spreading.
Although Justin was otherwise fit and healthy, the chemotherapy took a toll on his body and mental health, with treatment one day every three weeks.
However, Tanya remained strong by his side for the sake of their family.
'The mental health side of it is enormous,' she said.
'Feelings of uncertainty about what's going to happen next, or what and where are we going to be in a year, we just cannot get ahead.
'There's also the depression that comes along with feeling sick, feeling sore, and knowing that you're going to have to go and do it again next week.'
Thankfully, Tanya's was able to be flexible with her work, and his parents moved near them to help in any way they could.
'He had days when he was terrible and days when he was okay. So in that time, he managed to set up and fit out an entire microbrewery and get it ready to open and make beer,' Tanya said.
For a brief time, it seemed the worst was over. Justin pushed through the six months of gruelling treatments, had his dream business ready to open (with a lot of help from his local community), and in March 2022 he was given the all-clear.
'He had his last chemotherapy treatment on the Monday of that week, and we opened on the Saturday straight afterwards. The local community was amazing, they all supported us so much, and still do,' she said.
Fast forward to December 2023, during what should have been a regular routine check-up, Justin and Tanya received the gut-wrenching news no cancer survivor ever wants to hear - the disease had come back.
This time, the recurrence was in the lymph nodes in Justin's chest and abdomen - not in his gut as it had been before. And worse still, it was stage four.
It was the kind of news no one wants to hear, let alone again - especially right before Christmas and while the brewery business was booming. Yet this time, Justin was completely asymptomatic.
In January 2024, the brave couple pushed through yet another gruelling 10 months of chemotherapy, with Tanya by his side every step of the way.
'He started intensive chemotherapy and immunotherapy every two weeks, which was really intense, and really toxic. He was very unwell at that point,' Tanya said.
Between working, taking care of his family, and undergoing his second round of harrowing treatments, a special CT scan miraculously showed that Justin had beaten cancer again – very much to the doctors' surprise a second time around.
Now, in a heartbreaking twist, 2025 has brought the family to its knees once again, with a third recurrence of the disease in his lymph nodes. This time, Justin's prognosis is even more uncertain.
He's receiving intensive chemotherapy every two weeks - a regime that could continue indefinitely.
Unable to work, Justin has had to step away from the business he built with his own two hands, now paying employees to keep things running while the family loses their primary source of income.
Meanwhile, Tanya, who has used up all her leave caring for Justin through his previous bouts of illness, is now the family's sole provider, juggling full-time work, raising their children, and caring for her unwell husband with no assurances for their future.
Staying as positive as she can, she said it's Justin who is the real hero.
'He's always been the kind of person who says life's too short, and we shouldn't be wasting a day. Now more than ever he says we shouldn't be wasting time,' she said.
In a world where cancer affects one-in-two Australians in their lifetime, Justin and Tanya's story is a poignant reminder of how quickly life can change, and how powerful community support can be in the face of unimaginable hardship.
'If you think there's something wrong with your body, even if you're young, fit and healthy, go and get it checked out,' Tanya warned.
'I'm glad that we did something, because it could have been much worse at the time of diagnosis than it was.'

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BBC News

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Top 10 health benefits of beetroot according to sabi pipo

Sabi pipo say one of di powers of beetroot na say e dey rich in nitrates. Wen we digest food or drink wey dey rich in nitrate, nitric oxide dey dey produced, wey dey known to cause di blood vessels to widen. Sabi pipo believe say dis fit lead to some health benefits. One study find say a daily dose of beetroot juice fit get a significant effect on blood pressure. Di study find say just a few weeks of eating some beets a day lead to a fall in average blood pressure of about 5 millimetres of mercury, if maintained, e dey enough to reduce di risk of stroke and heart attack by 10% . Studies don also find say beetroot fit get effect on blood pressure within a few hours of intake. Prof Andy Jones, Professor of Applied Physiology from di University of Exeter wey spend years investigating di effects of beetroot on sport performance explain how di nitrates inside beetroot improve dey improve di blood flow to our lungs and muscles, resulting in a faster delivery of oxygen. "Di potential dey for di muscle to dey receive more oxygen and to distribute dat oxygen within imsef more effectively because of di effects of nitric oxide", e tok. Not only dis, dem dey help you make more efficient use of oxygen during exercise, so you fit work harder, without feeling di strain. Wetin be beetroot? E belong to di same family as chard and spinach, pesin fit eat both di leaves and root of beetroot fit dey eaten – di leaves get bitter taste whereas di root dey sweet. Although dem dey available all year round, beets dey di sweetest and most tender during dia peak season, wey for kontri like UK na from June to October. While varieties like white and yellow beets dey make pretty dishes, only red beets get cancer-fighting compound betacyanin. How much I fit dey eat? Prof Jones bin advise say two-three medium beetroots, or one shot of beetroot juice, na all you need to see positive effects. Getting about 6 to 10 millimoles of nitrate a day na wetin dey important. E advise to dey keep steady intake of nitrates every day and every week for long term benefit. Researchers from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry say to drink one cup of beetroot juice fit lower blood pressure. "If you dey drink 250ml (8oz) e go cut high blood pressure readings by 10mm of mercury (mmHg)." One study of 15 patients, bring some into di normal range, di journal Hypertension, external bin report. Afta three to six hours, dem detect di effect one day later. But di researchers, from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, wey study beetroot blood pressure lowering effects for years, also warn say more work still dey needed. And dem warn say to dey drink beetroot juice fit get one unexpected consequence - e fit turn your urine pink. Nitrate dey naturally inside soil, wia big vegetables dey take am in through roots to help dem grow. Researcher Dr Amrita Ahluwalia tok: "We dey surprised by how little nitrate dey needed to see dat kind large effect. "Our hope na say to increase one intake of vegetables wit high dietary nitrate content, like green leafy vegetables or beetroot, fit be lifestyle approach wey pesin fit easily employ to improve cardiovascular health." Prof Peter Weissberg, medical director for di British Heart Foundation, wey bin fund di research, tok say: "e dey support current advice say make we all dey eat plenty of green vegetables. "But we need larger studies in patients to determine if nitrate-rich vegetables dey effective to lower blood pressure over di long term." Also, di nitrates dey water-soluble though, so you need dey careful wen you dey boiling beets. To boil your beets go allow nitrates to come out into di cooking liquid, so you no go get as many benefits. Sabi pipo say if you really wan get di most out of dis vegetable e fit be best to buy am raw and bake am, or drink di juice! Top 10 health benefits of beetroot 1. E dey rich in protective antioxidants Red beetroots dey ranked as one of di 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables. Dis mean say dem dey help di body combat di damaging effects of di process weyndem call oxidation. Di plant compounds wey dey responsible for di root purple-crimson colour, anthocyanins, don show to get high anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities. 2. E fit get anti-cancer properties. Betacyanin, di powerful plant pigment wey dey give beetroot im rich colour, also dey help suppress di development of some types of cancer, including bladder cancer. Beetroot contain oda potential cancer-fighting compounds including ferric acid, ruin and kaempferol. 3. E fit get anti-inflammatory properties. Some research suggests say betalains, di family of natural colour pigments wey betacyanin belong to, fit help reduce di symptoms and markers of inflammation. Dis include potentially relieving discomfort of inflamed joints, like knees. 4. E fit lower blood pressure Beetroot naturally dey rich in compounds wey dem dey call nitrates, and na dis make beetroot so heart-friendly. Dis na sake of say nitrates dey help to improve blood flow by relaxing di blood vessels, wey potentially dey lower blood pressure. Reduced blood. Studies suggest say nitrate-rich foods, like beetroot, fit also help in heart attack survival. 5. E fit improve exercise performance and support energy levels Studies suggest say wen athletes add beetroot juice to dia regime, e fit support exercise endurance and improve performance. No be all be dat: wen muscles dey resting state afta exercise, di nitrates in beetroot dey help bring more oxygen to di muscle cells wey dey promote efficient recovery. For di rest of us, to dey add beetroot in our diets fit be di energy boost wey we need. 6. E fit improve digestive health. Beetroots dey rich in fibre wey, as well as supporting bowel function, dey help promote healthy environment in di gut. Alongside di fibre, betawains dey help increase di production of short chain fatty acids by di beneficial bacteria wey dey live inside di gut. 7. E fit protect di gut. Beetroots na one of di richest vegetable sources of glutamine, one amino acid wey dey key to di maintenance of our gut lining. E also fit be say di glutamine fit play a role to protect di gut lining from injury and stress. 8. E fit support brain health and reaction time Further studies also suggest say higher nitrate intake appear to lead to significant improvement in motor functions, including reaction time. 9. E fit be useful addition to a post-menopause diet. Afta menopause, blood pressure and heart disease risk dey increase. Dietary changes like di inclusion of nitrate-rich vegetables show to be useful strategy to help keep arteries flexible and in turn manage blood pressure. To drink beetroot juice before exercise fit also help improve mobility and cardio-metabolic outcomes in dis age group. All of wey suggest say beetroot fit get useful inclusion as part of a balanced diet for post-menopausal women. Any improvement in blood flow go also benefit di brain. Studies suggest say to include beetroot in di diet, combined wit exercise, fit improve blood flow to di frontal lobe of di brain - one area wey involve for decision making and memory. 10. E fit relieve symptoms of Raynaud phenomenon. Raynaud phenomenon na one uncomfortable condition wia di blood to di fingers and feet no dey flow properly. Symptoms include pain, numbness and pins and needles. One initial study wey dey examine di effects of beetroot juice demonstrate improvements in blood flow to di thumb and forearm as well as reduction in blood pressure and inflammation. Caution Although dis findings look promising, sabi pipo say more trials dey needed to validate dem. Also, remember to consult sabi person and your doctor if you get any health issue and before you make any change to diet.

Daily Mail​

2 hours ago

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Top doctor reveals life-saving trio of daily foods that could ward off bowel cancer

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The Independent

3 hours ago

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