To many, I’m a Normal 45 year old male who loves footy, the great outdoors, has a terrific career in Sales and is fortunate to travel around Australia and Africa for a living. 

But underneath the clothes lies a permanent colostomy bag after being diagnosed with bowel cancer in the rectum in April 2014. 

This was a secondary cancer after beating cancer at the age of 8, being diagnosed with Hodgkins Lympthoma . 

The cancer cells were detected in two polyps found in the large intestine and rectum and after two colonoscopies they couldn’t be removed. So I had to have an Ileostomy which was the complete removal of the large intestine.

Five years on I continue to battle niggling issues such as Gastritis and Prostatitis but I’m still smiling and soldering on. 

I was very lucky to have had it detected via very low iron levels after a blood test prior to going to work in Africa. However if I had not have had the blood test, I would have had no idea. So I tell all my friends and family to see a GP for a blood test once a year and be fully checked out. 

My advice - Keep on top of the Stoma and health. Following the advice from the Surgeon and Stoma Nurse of the safe foods and drink; the Stoma doesn’t discriminate, and it can spoil the party when something eaten isn’t right.

Also, wearing a harness to prevent a parastomal hernia does help to prevent any ongoing pain and let you enjoy life as comfortably and freely as possible . Making contact with social groups with fellow Ostomates is a great way of being of help to others when things aren’t going so well, and you know there is someone you can speak to.


0416 BCA Feb 2024 Supporters in Action Jules Insall 1520x320