Steven Cook’s battle with bowel cancer has made the Wagga resident determined to ensure the community is vigilant when it comes to cancer prevention.
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What seemed like a simple stomach ache was the catalyst for months of chemotherapy and recovery for the now 33-year-old.
Mr Cook was diagnosed in June, 2013 after abnormal and persistent stomach pains prompted him to see his general practitioner.
Further tests revealed stage three bowel cancer, which was removed with surgery and further treated with six months of chemotherapy.
A follow-up scan in June last year revealed a small spot on his lung, which was removed and again treated with chemotherapy.
Mr Cook stopped chemotherapy in January and will have another scan in the coming months but he said he is spending his healthier days dedicated to ensuring people are aware about bowel cancer.
“You’d hear it occasionally happening to people but you don’t expect to be that person,” he said.
Mr Cook said now was the perfect time to hold an event in Wagga with the NRL’s Kick Bowel Cancer campaign gaining recognition and because June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.
The father-of-two was an active swimmer and football player with Group 9’s Wagga Brothers but has not played a game since his diagnosis.
He has designed special jerseys for the Brothers players to wear when they play Albury this Sunday to bring the issue to the forefront of people’s minds.
The jerseys are white with red and green, which is the official bowel cancer colours and the regular playing colours for the team.
“They were absolutely, 100 per cent supportive of the idea,” he said.
“The footy club has been through the whole journey with me.”
Mr Cook said the key to beating bowel cancer is early detection.
He wants to tell people to be vigilant with your health and see a doctor if you notice any changes with your body.
“The thing is, 90 per cent of bowel cancer can be treated successfully if found early but only 40 per cent currently are,” he said.
“You can’t stop people getting bowel cancer but you can get people to react to it.”
Mr Cook will be at Sunday’s game to hand out information about bowel cancer and one of the player’s jerseys will be auctioned on Sunday after the game to raise money for Bowel Cancer Australia.
