Stage 4 cancer patient warns overlooked
Australian Mom’s Warning After Stage 4 Bowel Cancer Diagnosis
Susan Schmidt, a 47-year-old mother of two from Brisbane,
was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer in 2023 after overlooking mild symptoms she once thought were harmless.
“The diagnosis is incurable,” she told Daily Mail. “The goal now is to stay well for as long as I can.
I’ll probably resume chemotherapy after my next overseas trip.”
Susan described her early symptoms as “strange” and “subtle” — fatigue, constipation, and severe abdominal pain.
“I’d drive my daughter 15 minutes to rowing,
then have to stop on the way home and nap for 40 minutes,” she said.
“That was a warning sign, but I brushed it off.”
After multiple tests showed no issues, a colonoscopy finally revealed a tumor that had spread to her uterus,
lymph nodes, and lung. Now, through The Floozie Foundation,
Susan is raising awareness: “Even if they say it’s stress or diet, listen to your instincts.”
