05-06-2025
'Please do the test': 55yo Rachel had a plum-sized tumour removed
Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard.
She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table.
"I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said.
"My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away."
Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements.
She had surgery in March.
"I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said.
"They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through."
When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?"
"I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'."
In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail.
The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period.
With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test.
Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer.
Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world".
"It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said.
"We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part."
NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early".
"People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said
"Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease."
Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms.
After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer.
"I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed.
"The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean."
She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic".
Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes.
"They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said.
"Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week."
People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active.
It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard.
She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table.
"I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said.
"My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away."
Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements.
She had surgery in March.
"I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said.
"They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through."
When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?"
"I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'."
In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail.
The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period.
With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test.
Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer.
Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world".
"It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said.
"We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part."
NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early".
"People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said
"Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease."
Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms.
After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer.
"I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed.
"The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean."
She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic".
Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes.
"They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said.
"Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week."
People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active.
It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard.
She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table.
"I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said.
"My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away."
Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements.
She had surgery in March.
"I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said.
"They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through."
When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?"
"I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'."
In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail.
The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period.
With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test.
Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer.
Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world".
"It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said.
"We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part."
NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early".
"People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said
"Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease."
Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms.
After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer.
"I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed.
"The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean."
She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic".
Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes.
"They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said.
"Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week."
People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active.
It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
Swansea's Rachel Rizk had a few unused and expired bowel cancer screening kits sitting in her cupboard.
She ordered another one and put it on her dressing table.
"I'd look at it every day and say I'll do that tomorrow," Ms Rizk said.
"My biggest message is I want everyone to please do the test. Take the stigma away."
Ms Rizk was diagnosed with bowel cancer at age 55, after seeing her doctor for erratic bowel movements.
She had surgery in March.
"I had to cancel a holiday to India. I had a holiday at John Hunter Hospital instead," she said.
"They removed 15 centimetres of my bowel and a tumour the size of a plum. When they did the first colonoscopy, they couldn't get the camera through."
When she was diagnosed, she said to her specialist, "With all due respect, are you sure you have the right person?"
"I felt fit and fabulous. He took a second look at his screen and said 'Sorry, Rachel, it is you'."
In the Hunter New England health district, only 42 per cent of people do the bowel screening test after receiving it in the mail.
The district recorded 3804 bowel cancer cases from 2017 to 2021, and 1362 people died from the disease in that period.
With June being Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, the NSW government is urging eligible people to take the screening test.
Available to those aged 45 to 74, it's the easiest way to detect the early signs of bowel cancer.
Health Minister Ryan Park said, "Unfortunately, Australia has one of the highest incidences of bowel cancer in the world".
"It's the second biggest cancer killer in NSW," Mr Park said.
"We have this free screening test that is quick, easy and very effective in detecting the early stages of bowel cancer, but we need more people to take part."
NSW chief cancer officer Tracey O'Brien said, "Bowel cancer can be successfully treated if caught early".
"People who do the test are almost twice as likely to have their cancer detected at the earliest stage," Professor O'Brien, of Cancer Institute NSW, said
"Bowel cancer is not just an old person's disease."
Ms Rizk initially thought she had IBS symptoms.
After doing the screening test, she was diagnosed with stage two bowel cancer.
"I went into fight mode. I wanted to get straight in and get it removed.
"The hardest part was waiting to get the results to know what stage it was and what sort of treatment that would mean."
She said John Hunter Hospital was "absolutely fantastic".
Her surgeon removed 32 lymph nodes.
"They all came back clear, so that was good news," she said.
"Thankfully, I haven't had to have any chemo or radiation because they got it at stage two. But I did have a follow-up colonoscopy last week."
People can reduce their risk of bowel cancer by eating a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, cereals and wholegrains, having a healthy weight and being physically active.
It is recommended to do the at-home screening test every two years from the age of 45.
