The Bottom Line Podcast

A/Prof Dan Buchanan, recently announced Director of the Centre of Research Excellence (CRE) ARTEMIS, discusses the upcoming five-year research program that will investigate the aetiology, risk factors, tumourigenesis, exposures, microbiome and immune susceptibilities that are underlying early-onset bowel cancer.

Funded by Bowel Cancer Australia, A/Prof Buchanan will lead the $3M Centre’s 22-member team across multiple discipli...

Misdiagnosis, symptom dismissal and age bias dominated Sarah’s health for over five years until she was eventually diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer aged 29.

Learn of Sarah’s persistence, vulnerability and resilience as she delves into the challenges of being heard as a young woman.

Sarah discusses fertility preservation, how her endometriosis was rationalised as masking her bowel cancer symptoms and how her diagnosis a...

This episode delves into the power of the collective voice as Natalie and Andrew discuss attending Bowel Cancer Australia’s preeminent advocacy event, Call on Canberra.

"Call on Canberra is very special. . . Our voice together is incredibly powerful, and the change is really being seen now.” ~ Natalie

Sharing their personal experiences both Natalie and Andrew discuss the barriers they encountered to diagnosis, the impact ...

It’s Dry July and Megan and Kayla join Stephanie to talk about how bowel cancer impacted their families lives and why they are raising funds for Bowel Cancer Australia’s in-person specialist Bowel Care Nurses through the Dry July challenge, in memory of their husband and brother.

Brendan and Brad were both diagnosed with early-onset bowel cancer, in the late stages of the disease, after having had their symptoms dismisse...

Losing his wife recently to bowel cancer, Willis opens up to Stephanie about the challenges of life as a widower and being a single parent, but how the purpose of family and making memories together has helped them move forward.

Willis talks honestly about making a conscious choice to be transparent around Nat’s illness, how they navigated talking with their children, and how the philosophy of controlling the controllables hel...

Sharing his empowering lived experience to raise awareness of early-onset bowel cancer, Matt Duggan is running 550km across Tasmania (for the second time!) in May 2026.

Matt chats openly with Stephanie about the challenges of telling friends and family about his diagnosis and why he now wants people to recognise the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer.

“Keeping my diagnosis hidden probably did more harm than good."

"I wanted to d...

Highly regarded Geneticist, Professor Ingrid Winship AO discusses the dynamic world of genomics and how a genetic test may impact you and your family.

Drawing on her decades of experience Professor Winship provides practical information to help unpack the complexities of genetics that empowers people to make informed decisions.

“What we do is about empowering people, trying to prevent predictable complications and keep healthy ...

Aged just 27 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer, Taylor chats to Stephanie about the challenges of losing her identity to cancer, the pressure it put on her loved ones, and how accessing a clinical trial was literally "life-saving"!

“Without this treatment I would not be here. Immunotherapy as a cancer treatment is the way of the future. It should be the gold standard. It should be the frontline treatment for all...

Navigating a bowel cancer diagnosis as a woman can be particularly complex.

Issues like perimenopause and menopause can have overlapping symptoms, making it challenging to identify what’s truly going on.

"Bowel cancer buddies", Kat and Kristin, sit down with Stephanie to dive into a candid conversation about all things "poop".

"Women have complex body systems that deserve careful attention. Don’t place women in the too har...

If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with bowel cancer, we're here for you.

This informative chat with Bowel Care Nurse, Fiona, and Psychosocial Support, Hannah, discusses the importance of supportive care and provides a snapshot of the pivotal role Bowel Cancer Australia’s Specialist Telehealth Support Services can play throughout the care continuum.

“Let people with experience walk with you so you can focus on livin...

This New Year make exercise a priority.

The benefits of exercise are well documented. Bowel Care Exercise Physiologist, Kailey, provides tips to help keep you motivated before, during and after treatment.

Joining Kailey on this episode is bowel cancer advocate, Jon, who shares his lived experience and discusses how exercise empowered him to take control of his diagnosis and the positive impacts on his mental wellbeing.

“Being ab...

Stephanie chats with Bowel Care Nutritionist, Jo and advocate, Jemima to help demystify nutrition throughout treatment, living with a stoma, and life beyond bowel cancer. 

Jemima shares her lived experience and explains how Jo empowered her to implement some small changes that have enabled her to navigate her “new” normal, returning to work and travelling abroad.

An episode where Jo and Jemima discuss easy to implem...

Josh and Ant chat with Stephanie around the importance of raising bowel cancer awareness and the difficulty and pain of losing their loved ones far too young - Josh’s brother Mitch and Ant’s friend Dean.

Both long-time supporters of Bowel Cancer Australia’s Decembeard campaign, Josh and Ant discuss the positive impact of honouring their friend and brother through their fundraising initiatives and urge others to hav...

Bowel Cancer Australia advocates, Jenny and Peter join Stephanie to share their Call on Canberra 2025 experience and discussions with policy makers about the living with early-onset bowel cancer.

Impacted heavily in the rush-hour of their lives, Jenny and Peter are both deeply passionate about seeing the landscape change for early-onset bowel cancer and discuss the power of the collective voice in making meaningful change.

“I c...

Fundraising in honour of loved ones is hugely rewarding but event planning can also be incredibly time consuming. 

In this episode Stephanie chats with childhood friends Sara and Amy, co-founders of Time is Precious, about the impact of losing a loved one to bowel cancer and how they have leant into their youth and desire to give back.

“We are definitely trying to find ways to create a point of difference and because we a...

Melbourne University’s Professor Mark Jenkins discusses his team’s latest research which highlights excess deaths due to the rise in early-onset bowel cancer between 1990 and 2020, as well as the disparity of bowel cancer research funding in Australia.

Mark also discusses the burden early-onset bowel cancer on those who are in the rush-hour of their lives – building careers, developing relationships and raising fam...

It's Dry July and Stephanie chats with two passionate fundraisers Justin and Conor who are raising funds for Bowel Cancer Australia in memory of their Dad and Mum, respectively.

Funds raised through Dry July help support the Charity's specialist in-person Bowel Care Nurse Program, which aims to improve equity of access to personalised care and tailored support, allowing more people to access coordinated care closer to home.

“My...

Walkley Award-winning author, investigative journalist and author, Lucie Morris-Marr chats to Stephanie about her lived experience.

From her initial stage 4 bowel cancer diagnosis to undergoing a groundbreaking liver transplant, Lucie discusses her roller coaster ride.

“I am lucky to be here. I’m very grateful for that and I want to give back, because people have really given generously to me.”

A strong believer...

Danae shares her “good news” cancer story, highlighting her proactive GP who ultimately saved her life.

“I became the good luck story of 2022. Instead of dismissing my symptoms due to perimenopause my GP wanted to be thorough and sent me for a CT scan that ultimately revealed stage 2 bowel cancer.”

Danae discusses the importance of a positive outlook and how finding her “tribe” and the bowel cancer...