Zaneta Mascarenhas MP
Federation Chamber, Parliament House, Canberra
Statements by Members
Bowel cancer is the deadliest form of cancer and the sixth-leading cause of death for all Australians aged 25 to 44. Many of us think of bowel cancer as a disease for the over-50s, but sadly this is not true. Over the last three decades there has been a massive 260 per cent increase in bowel cancer incident rates in adolescents and young adults.
One of them is my constituent Rebecca McMahon. Rebecca lives in Cannington, and she was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer at 37 years old. Her children were just 10 and seven at the time. For the last three years, young Lyra and Felix have endured watching their mother battle with this disease and undergo rounds of chemotherapy and surgery. It's heartbreaking, and I send her and her family my thoughts and best wishes.
Rebecca is brave, Rebecca is a strong and she is a fighter. She is in Canberra with Bowel Cancer Australia calling for more action on early-onset bowel cancer. Rebecca wants doctors and the community to know that you're never too young for bowel cancer. We need to raise awareness of early-onset bowel cancer. We also need to see more funding and research in this area. Thank you, Rebecca, for your strength and your advocacy. You are never too young.
