I was lucky. It was early-stage (cancer) - we got it all. I've recovered better than I thought."
Cecelia Green did not expect to be diagnosed with bowel cancer just after her 50th birthday. This is her story.
Cecelia Green had no symptoms, no family history of bowel cancer and felt otherwise fit and healthy. Her case is a powerful reminder of the importance doing the bowel cancer screening test.
A simple test
When Cecelia heard from the Australian Government to say she was eligible to do the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program test, she decided to do it.
She said, “You do cervical screening, you do blood tests, you go to the doctor when you get a sniffle or whatever. So it's just another test to check everything's okay."
No family history and no symptoms
However, when Cecelia received a call back from her GP, saying bowel cancer screening test had come back positive, she was surprised - she had no family history, no symptoms and was otherwise fit and healthy.
Her doctor said they need to investigate further and referred her to a local surgeon for a colonoscopy.
He said, “It could be something; it could be nothing, but we need to investigate to find out.”
Finding answers early
The colonoscopy found several polyps. The smaller polyps could be removed immediately but one larger polyp required further investigation and testing.
Cecelia got a call from her doctor to say, ‘It’s cancer. It’s not aggressive, but it has aggressive characteristics.’ Her medical team decided the best course of action was further surgery.
Although the diagnosis came as a shock, finding the cancer early meant her doctors could move quickly and start treatment. Her GP later told her the cancer had been detected at an early stage, giving her the best opportunity for successful treatment.
I was lucky. It was early stage, we got it all."
A positive outcome
The biggest thing to come to terms with was that the operation was to save my life."
The surgeon told her that she was lucky they found the cancer early, as she’s now been able to make a full recovery. Cecelia is now cancer-free. She will have a colonoscopy every twelve months for the next five years to ensure any changes are caught early and she stays healthy.
Do the test for your family
Cecelia believes doing her bowel cancer screening test made a significant difference to her outcome.
Her case is not unique and highlights a very powerful message – early detection saves lives. If found early bowel cancer is highly treatable, in fact 90% of cases can be treated successfully.
Her husband recently turned 45 and is now eligible to request his first free bowel screening kit. He completed the test and received a negative result. Both Cecelia and her husband believe bowel cancer screening is essential and will continue to do the test every two years.
Regular screening is important because bowel cancer can develop over time, even when there are no symptoms. It’s important to repeat the test every two years until you are 74.
Do the test, it could save your life
Today, Cecelia and her husband encourage all their friends and family to do their bowel cancer screening tests every two years.
They often hear people say, “Oh yeah, that’s sitting on the desk at home.”
For Cecelia and her husband, the bowel cancer screening test saved her life and they are quick to remind anyone who is eligible to do the test now.
It's not a scary test to take and it is so important."
A free bowel screening test could help detect bowel cancer early, before symptoms develop.
Note: The Australian Government has lowered the eligible screening age for the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program from 50 to 45. People aged 45 to 49 can request their first free screening kit by submitting a webform or calling 1800 627 701. People aged 50 to 74 will continue to automatically be sent a free home test kit every two years.