Danni Duncan, a 39-year-old from Melbourne, embodied peak health and fitness. As a dedicated marathon runner and nutrition coach, she was in the best shape of her life. This all came to a devastating halt in 2024 when she received a diagnosis that would shatter her world: she had bowel cancer.
A Mother's Instinct That Something Was Wrong
Just after giving birth to her fourth child in September 2024, Danni began experiencing extreme and inexplicable fatigue. Initially, she attributed the tiredness and bloating to the demands of a newborn, a young family, and running two businesses. However, her perspective shifted dramatically when she suddenly found herself unable to complete a routine gym workout.
"I'm a runner so I was training for a marathon at the time and I was really struggling, I couldn't even finish a set," Danni explained. The situation escalated when she nearly fainted while making breakfast, prompting her husband to insist she see a doctor.
The Shocking Diagnosis and a Surgeon's Theory
Medical tests revealed Danni was severely anaemic, with a haemoglobin level of 77 and an iron level of just 1. An urgent colonoscopy uncovered a 2.7cm tumour in her bowel. In May 2024, she was diagnosed with stage 2B bowel cancer, meaning the tumour had grown through the bowel wall but had not reached her lymph nodes.
Danni was stunned. "I couldn't believe it. My first thought was, 'No this can't be happening, I'm supposed to live to 100'. I've always been fit and healthy," she said.
Her surgeon suggested that long-term factors, including childhood exposure to ultra-processed foods and certain household chemicals from the 1990s and early 2000s, "most probably" contributed to her cancer. "That's pretty scary," Danni admitted, reflecting on the common convenience foods and products of that era.
The Heartbreak of Treatment and a Message of Hope
One of the most challenging aspects of her treatment was being forced to stop breastfeeding her youngest daughter, London. "Having to cut that short was really heartbreaking for me," Danni shared.
Following chemotherapy, Danni received the promising news that she is now cancer-free. Her ongoing care involves routine blood tests every three months, plus annual colonoscopies and CT scans.
Dr Graham Newstead, a colorectal surgeon and Medical Director of Bowel Cancer Australia, weighed in, noting that while lifestyle is often discussed, the direct cause of bowel cancer remains unknown. He highlighted a significant trend: roughly 1,700 of the 17,000 bowel cancer cases diagnosed annually in Australia now occur in people under 50.
A Vital Call for Awareness and Early Detection
Dr Newstead emphasised the critical warning signs that should not be ignored:
- Blood in the stool or on the toilet paper.
- Unexplained and persistent tiredness.
- A change in bowel habits, including frequency or consistency.
Danni's mission now is to raise awareness. "This is no longer an old person's disease," she stated. "If something feels off for you - advocate for yourself. This is your reminder: get checked." She urges everyone to be the healthiest version of themselves, because you never know what is around the corner.
