Hi! My name is Jess and I am fundraising to help my mum Bec with living expenses after my step-dad Troy has been diagnosed with a large, rare, cancer in his bowel.

For those that know our family, we thought 2020-2021 would be our hardest year.

My step-dad Troy suffered 11 cardiac arrests which ultimately lead to him needing a heart transplant.

Listed for transplant in late 2020, Troy received the call in January 2021 that there was a match for a heart thanks to a selfless organ donor.

Unfortunately, due to complications including compartment syndrome during the transplant surgery, Troy had his right leg amputated just above the knee.

Troy spent a total of 4.5 months in hospital, more than 2 hours drive each way from home.

On 20 April 2025, Easter Sunday, Troy spiked a fever of 39.6 degrees. My mum Bec took him to Tweed Valley hospital and he was diagnosed with sepsis.

On 30 May 2025, due to Troy’s condition declining and finding no source to his constant fevers and low blood count, Troy was transferred to the Prince Charles Hospital where he remains.

Finally after endless tests, Troy was diagnosed with a large rare cancer in his Jejunum (middle section of intestine/bowel.)

A PET scan has confirmed the cancer has spread to a small surrounding area and also a secondary mass in his parotid gland.

He will be undergoing surgery and recovery in the coming weeks.

Troy has had over 12 blood transfusions to date and lost more than 20 kilos. He cannot eat due to the tumour size.

Mum has been driving over 4 hours per day to visit Troy and spend time with him. She also stays overnight on weekends.

The financial (and emotional) toll it has taken on her to travel, as she is not working now, added costs of accommodation, tolls, petrol, and parking in addition to everyday living expenses.

Mum is always the first to put her hand up to help people and any financial assistance during this time would be greatly appreciated to take some of the pressure off her

Bowel Cancer Awareness

If you aged between 45-49, you can request a free test through the National Bowel Screening Program.

If you are aged 50-74, the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program will send you a free bowel screening test in the mail every two years.

However, sometimes it can onset earlier. If you have any immediate family members who have bowel cancer before 50 it is recommended to test regularly from your mid thirties.

Symptoms of bowel cancer include:

* change in bowel habit including diarrhoea, constipation or the feeling of incomplete emptying

* a change in the appearance or consistency of bowel movements such as thin bowel stools, blood in the stools

* abdominal pain, bloating or cramping anal or rectal paina lump in the anus or rectum

* weight loss

* unexplained fatigue

* tiredness and/or anaemia (pale complexion, weakness and breathlessness)

* blood in the urine or passing urine frequently or during the night, change in urine colour – dark, rusty or brown.