Established in 1981 as the
proudly serving Sunbury and Macedon Ranges
28 JULY, 2026
Bowel cancer plea By Glenn Fisher “I’m not scared.” Rebecca Arden is also not old. Not even close to middle-aged. So nowhere near the age when medical experts recommend getting checked for something such as bowel cancer. Married for six years to Jesse and a loving mum to two young daughters aged five and two , Rebecca is just 37. But this brave Sunbury woman’s world was turned upside down on 18 June when she was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel and liver cancer. “I’ve been told my cancer is incurable, which was devastating to hear,” Rebecca told Star Weekly last week. “But I’m not scared. I’ve had the conversation with Jesse about if I pass. But I’m also a warrior.
I wish bowel cancer had been considered sooner ... If sharing my experience helps even one person receive an earlier diagnosis .. telling my story will have made a difference - Rebecca Arden “I’m optimistic, like always, and I believe miracles can happen. “I’m choosing to focus on treatment, which is chemotherapy at the Sunbury Day Hospital, and time with my family, and making the most of every day.” Busy with her young children and a regular volunteer at Sunbury Toy Library, Rebecca said she had “many vague symptoms of being unwell“, iron deficiencies and anaemia, heavy and painful menstrual cycles, and various treatments for PMOS (Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome formerly known as PCOS) and hormonal issues. It wasn’t until fatigue set in about January this year, followed by a raft of blood tests, treatment for a stomach bug, and more severe gastro-intestinal pain in April that she was sent for a bowel screening test, colonoscopy and fi nally an ultrasound in June.
Rebecca Arden, a 37-year-old Sunbury wife and mother of two, was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer. (Damjan Janevski) 567018_01
On 18 June, an oncologist told her there were cancerous spots on her liver and that a biopsy confi rmed she had Stage 4 bowel cancer that had spread to her liver. One week later, Rebecca had a port inserted into her body, where IV lines are now hooked up for fortnightly chemotherapy sessions at Sunbury Day Hospital and which continue at home for two days via a portable vessel before the IV is detached until the next session. “I was also told it was a slow growing cancer, that it didn’t just appear overnight, so maybe I have had cancer for a few years,” Rebecca said. “Looking back, I wish bowel cancer had been considered sooner. “But my goal isn’t to blame anyone or
cause unnecessary alarm. “If sharing my experience helps even one person receive an earlier diagnosis or encourages someone to trust their instincts, then telling my story will have made a difference.” Rebecca continues to look ahead as she receives her treatment, saying she wants to “continue to be the mum I was” and get back to participating in events, return to the toy library, to kindergarten and be there when the couple’s eldest daughter starts school next year. Despite her own situation, Rebecca said she was so grateful for her support network of family and close friends, including her husband, parents, in-laws and sister, and had “huge respect” to frontline medical teams and especially the caring nurses
at Sunshine Hospital and Sunbury Day Hospital. “I’m sharing my story because I want other young women to know that bowel cancer isn’t just a disease of older people, and that persistent or unusual symptoms deserve to be investigated,” she said. Early-onset bowel cancer (diagnoses for people aged under 50) now account for about one in nine new cases. According to the Victorian Cancer Registry, rates have surged by 65 per cent in the past 20 years. Rebecca is posting personal blogs about her journey on a GoFundMe page (https:// www.gofundme.com/f/rebeccas-cancerjourney-9grjj) that was started by her family to help cover the family’s many unforeseen costs.
ALL NEW
GEELY EX2 ƛʞɦۯϖ̖͔ˠɕۯͧɂɦֱͧͧɦˠˠʱ̅ʒ˾ͧۯǻˠˠ_ۯLj* ʞǻͧۯǻ͔͔ʱϒɦɕۯ̖ۯƍΑ̅ɂΑ͔Ϥ
BOOK YOUR TEST DRIVE ONLINE TODAY
؊Aǻͧɦɕۯ̖̅ۯϖ̖͔ˠɕϖʱɕɦ̅ۯɦϖۯϒɦʞʱɊˠɦۯɕɦˠʱϒɦ͔ʱɦͧۯʱ̅ۯɊǻˠɦ̅ɕǻ͔ۯϤɦǻ͔ۯԽԻԽՁۯʇ̖͔ ۯɦɦˠϤ_ۯǒԽۯǻ̅ɕۯʱͧۯ ǻˠɦ͔̅ǻʱϒɦۯʒˠ̖ɂǻˠ̅ۯǻ˾ɦۯϒǻ͔ʱǻʱ̖̅ͧۯלՀՁՆכՆՃԻۯΑ̅ʱͧۯɕɦˠʱϒɦ͔ɦɕۯϖ̖͔ˠɕϖʱɕɦۯʱ֭̅ ۯAۯƍɦʒ˾ɦ̅ͧۯʱ̅ۯԽԻԽՁۯל ƍ̖Α͔ɊɦۯןÅ¡ƍۯԽԻԽՁۯƍǻˠɦͧۯTǻǻל 12862336-RV31-26