Anthony Chisholm (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Assistant Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

During the last sitting period I met with Rachel, an advocate for Bowel Cancer Australia's, Never2Young campaign, and a mum of three from Deception Bay on the Brisbane's northside. Rachel was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer at the age of 38. She has asked me to share her story to parliament to raise awareness of bowel cancer and the impacts it can have on younger people. Bowel cancer is the sixth leading cause of death for Australians aged 25 to 44, and in just three decades there has been a 266 per cent increase in bowel cancer incidences in 15- to 24-year-olds.

Initially, when Rachel went to see her doctor, her symptoms were dismissed as stomach pains, and no further investigations were done. A year later, she was admitted to her local emergency department, and doctors discovered a tumour and 20 cancerous lymph nodes. Rachel said that bowel cancer wasn't a consideration for her GP, but with greater awareness we could see more timely diagnosis that can make a significant difference for so many Australians.

As the youngest person in her local hospital support group, Rachel also wanted to highlight the uniquely challenging impacts that younger people face following their diagnosis and treatment and the importance of good support groups. After six months of fortnightly chemotherapy, Rachel finished her treatment a few weeks before we met. Now, she is doing her part by raising awareness. Last weekend, Rachel hosted a bowel cancer gala in Redcliffe to raise funds to continue the fight against bowel cancer. I was glad to support this event, which was attended by over 170 people and raised over $14,000.

I want to thank Rachel for making the journey to Canberra to speak to me about the Never2Late campaign and for raising awareness of this important issue. I wish Rachel the best for her ongoing health and wellbeing.