A musician has revealed how he was left with 'incurable' cancer after multiple visits to his doctor.
Jordan Brunoli, who is a bass player for a band in Brisbane called Bugs, has explained how he visited his doctor but was 'sent away' repeatedly, before being diagnosed with colorectal cancer, which had spread to his liver and lymph nodes.
The 29-year-old was given the diagnosis after he was 'finally' sent for a scan.
Jordan's band shared the news earlier this year, writing in a social media post: "The devastating diagnosis came completely out of the blue.
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"Jordan has been sent away from emergency and a GP repeatedly after first showing symptoms months ago.
"After months of constant pain, Jordan was finally sent for a scan and diagnosed, leaving him and his family in a state of shock."
Over on a GoFundMe page - set up to help with medical costs - Jordan explained more about his diagnosis.
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He said: “Physically, this doesn’t hold me back, I’m able to do 90 percent of what I could before, just with a slightly higher risk of getting a hernia.
“Not to be preachy, but if you have witnessed any blood in your stool, experienced weird abdominal pains, unexplained weight loss or extended periods of fatigue – don’t be afraid to raise it with your GP and ask for an abdominal ultrasound.
“I thought I was too young, but there has been a recent increase in instances of colorectal cancer in people under 30.
“Getting a diagnosis now could be the difference in a stage 1 tumour or stage 4 metastatic.”
After hitting AUD$100,000 in donations, Jordan shared a post, thanking those who had supported him and explained he has another CT scan scheduled to check if the chemotherapy is working.
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"Every last one of you has touched me deeply. I love you all and feel extremely loved back. Through the blood, sweat and tears, knowing that there is a financial safety net for future surgeries or medical costs has provided a lot of comfort," he said.
"I have another CT scan coming up to determine whether the chemo is doing its job and will keep everyone updated."
The American Cancer Society’s estimates that in 2024, there were 'about 106,590 new cases of colon cancer'.
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Colon cancer is also considered the 'second most common cause of cancer deaths' in the US.
Mayo Clinic explain that symptoms can include:
- A change in bowel habits, such as more frequent diarrhea or constipation
- Rectal bleeding or blood in the stool
- Ongoing discomfort in the belly area, such as cramps, gas or pain
- A feeling that the bowel doesn't empty all the way during a bowel movement
- Weakness or tiredness
- Losing weight without trying
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.
Topics: Cancer, Colon cancer, Health, World News, Australia
Lucy Devine