My name is Scott and I have just been diagnosed for bowel cancer

Hi Scott



Thanks for sharing what you are going through. I am very pleased to hear that the prognosis is good.



I am sure that many in the Bowel Cancer Community will want to know how you get on. Please keep us updated on your journey…



My best Darryl

Hi Scott,



Thank you for sharing your story with us.



It is wonderful to hear that your prognosis is good, and that you are so positive about your bowel cancer journey



There are definitely lots of people out there in the same position as you, who would love to connect. There is also a wealth of information and resources available to help you through the next stages of your treatment and recovery.



Our Nurse Advisor will be in touch shortly with a response also.



In the meantime, there is quite a bit of information available on our website that you might like to have a look through http://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org.



A snapshot of the types of information you will find there includes:



Understanding bowel cancer - Bowel Cancer Australia publish a wide range of useful patient information, covering all aspects of bowel cancer. You can download our booklets, brochures as well as other information from this page.



Living with bowel cancer - Information about life during and after bowel cancer (including stoma care)



Bowel Cancer Pathway - An interactive chart that shows a typical bowel cancer ‘patient pathway’, and links through to more detailed information on each element.



'Love My Family' Community - Bowel Cancer Australia's ‘Love My Family’ Community, is a voluntary network of people affected by bowel cancer, whether personally or via a family member.



Real Life Stories - Often, people find it helpful to read about the experiences of others who have been affected by bowel cancer, what happened to them and how they are now. Stories within this webpage are about members of our ‘Love My Family’ Community.



A number of the stories are also available as videos on our YouTube Channel.



Hope that helps and please do let us know if you have any further questions.



Wishing you all the very best for your treatment, and looking forward to hearing more about your bowel cancer journey.



Kind regards



The team at Bowel Cancer Australia.



Please Note: Bowel Cancer Australia's Nurse and Nutritionist Advisory services are subject to the following disclaimer.

Hi Scott,



Thank you for such a positive message and your question regarding your recent diagnosis.



The bowel certainly is an interesting and complex organ, so depending on the result of your surgery and whether or not you will require a colostomy bag either temporarily or permanently, you may have to adjust to a very different regime when it comes to your bowel habits.



If after surgery you do not require a colostomy bag, be prepared to take it easy for up to 12 weeks post surgery in order for your muscles, nerves and bowel to get back to slight normality. It can take up to 12 months for some people before they have re-established a routine without feeling the urgency of having to go to the toilet. So in terms of work and needing a toilet near by, I highly recommend you know the location of a toilet within the first 12 months of being back out onsite, until you become confident with your bowel and it's actions after surgery. 



The addition of a colostomy for many of our patients has been a surprisingly more positive experience than first anticipated. Most previously, the technology involved with colostomy bags have improved so much, fitted for both comfort, ease and most preferred by you. If the stoma is required, you will speak at length to a stoma therapy nurse before having the colostomy fitted, in order to understand what to expect and they will help you initially get used to managing it, from cleaning around the stoma site to fitting a new bag when necessary. You will not be left alone to do these things at the beginning.



If you do require a colostomy bag after surgery either short term or long term, and you would like to speak with other bowel cancer patients who have dealt with this new addition, please contact us at Bowel Cancer Australia and through the Love My Family Community, we can put you in contact with other people who can give you their own experience on how they best coped with this new addition to their lifestyle.  



I hope this helps Scott,



Kind regards



Tammy

Bowel Cancer Australia Nurse Advisor



Please Note: Bowel Cancer Australia's Nurse and Nutritionist Advisory services are subject to the following disclaimer.

Hi all,
I have a daughter who is 21 and just been diagnonised with bowel cancer.  She is devestated and is finding it really hard to cope with.
she has just had a temp colestomy bag put in and in a few weeks starts chemo and radiation.
then she will have surgery to remove tumour.
finding it really hard to find support for her to reach out with other young bowel cancer patients.
Thanks