The Bottom Line Podcast

Pain specialist, Dr Tim Hucker explains that cancer-related pain can occur at any time and isn’t always due to the cancer itself as a number of the treatments used in cancer care can cause pain - such as pain following surgery or peripheral nerve pain after chemotherapy. 

Stephanie and Dr Hucker discuss the connection between pain, anxiety and depression, and recovery outcomes as well as how living with uncontrolled cancer-related pain can affect how people choose and respond to treatments.

Dr Hucker also describes advances in pain management and the importance of reporting pain 'loud and clear' to your medical team so a pain management program can be tailored to your needs.

Experiencing ongoing vomiting and stomach pain, Gemma was diagnosed during the Covid-19 pandemic with stage IV bowel cancer at the age of 35. Stephanie and Gemma talk about the emotional toll of being isolated from her family and friends throughout treatment.

Gemma discusses peritoneal metastases, including hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC), which involves filling the abdominal cavity with chemotherapy that has been heated (also known as 'hot chemotherapy') following surgery to remove cancerous tumours.

Passionate about raising awareness and helping other young people, Gemma also discusses the need to connect with a good support network and encourages people to savour the special milestones and enjoy the things that make you happy.

A/Prof Jeanne Tie is the lower gastrointestinal medical oncology and trials lead at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and senior research fellow in the Personalised Oncology Division at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research.

Stephanie and A/Prof Tie discuss personalising treatment for bowel cancer patients using prognostic and predictive biomarkers, including circulating tumour DNA.

A/Prof Tie is passionate about the new frontier of cancer, the opportunities to improve patient outcomes and the importance of research and clinical trials.

Five months pregnant and managing the emergency services response to the COVID -19 pandemic, Kate Fitzgerald was shocked when she was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 2020.

Kate discusses with Stephanie the difficult decisions she faced, not only for her health, but the health of her unborn baby, including possible termination and miscarriage as well as the five-hour surgery which involved her baby and womb being taken out of her body so the surgeon could remove the tumour.

Sharing her inspirational story, Kate says had she not been pregnant, she would probably have ignored her symptoms until it was too late, crediting her daughter, baby Ava, with saving her life.

In Part 2 of this two part episode (listen to Part 1), Michelle discusses grief with Stephanie following the loss of her husband, Sean, to young-onset bowel cancer, aged 36 in April 2021.

Michelle talks openly and honestly about the impact of losing Sean, her anticipatory grief and how Sean gave her permission to be happy and continue living. 

This episode sensitively confronts an often-difficult discussion, offering practical and real advice for coping with the loss of a loved one. 

Learning to be gentle on herself, Michelle’s warm and compassionate chat is essential listening for anyone who is experiencing grief.

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Grief resources referred to -

Nora McInerny - TED Talk | Hot Young Widow's club

Megan Devine - Refuge in grief | It's Ok not to be Ok | Rules at impact (pdf at the bottom)

Over the past 16 years, Stoma Nurse Amanda Richardson has helped thousands of patients with pre and post-operative stoma support and advice, stoma care and management, and stoma reversal.

Honest and engaging, Amanda's warmth and care for her patients shine through in her chat with Stephanie on temporary/permanent ileostomy and colostomy, as well as in helping patients overcome a common fear of living with a 'bag'.

Amanda says it is the most rewarding job she has ever had. 

Donna Hope was juggling life as a State MP when she was diagnosed with stage III bowel cancer in 2013. On this episode she talks with Stephanie about how she navigated her cancer diagnosis in a busy high-profile position. 

Now a passionate advocate for raising awareness of Australia’s second deadliest cancer she discusses the importance of knowing your symptoms and family history, speaking with your GP and being a champion for your own health.

Donna talks honestly about how delaying her diagnosis put her life at risk and how she now looks at each birthday as a privilege. In an honest and warm chat Donna discusses how her four boys helped her stay positive and how she tries not to sweat the small stuff.

Stephanie chats with colorectal surgeon, Graham Newstead AM, about bowel surgery and what makes for an optimal surgical outcome.

Dr Newstead discusses removal of the primary cancer and regional lymph nodes, the different types of surgical procedures - open, keyhole and robotic - as well as recovering from an operation.

Give a $#*! About your bowel: June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, Bowel Cancer Australia's signature event to raise awareness of Australia's second deadliest cancer.

Stephanie chats with Chris about treatment options and the mental and physical impact of a metastatic bowel cancer diagnosis.

Diagnosed with stage IV bowel cancer at the age of 41 Chris discusses his feelings of being diagnosed with the same disease his father passed away from, the importance of remaining positive, and how he navigated a bowel cancer diagnosis with lung metastases. 

Passionate about helping other young men, Chris talks honestly about the importance of connection, education and how his dog Pickle has helped him through the difficult moments.

Gastroenterologist Dr Bernard Chin chats to Stephanie about what makes for a good bowel prep and quality colonoscopy.

Dr Chin demystifies the procedure, shares tips to help patients prepare, and provides insights about what to expect before, during and after a colonoscopy.

Based in Cairns, Bernard is passionate about providing patient-centric care, training future gastroenterologists, and ensuring those living in regional Australia have access to timely quality health care. 

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If you are aged 18-and-over and have had a colonoscopy, we invite you to provide feedback about your experience.

My Colonoscopy Experience is a simple online questionnaire that can be completed anonymously, which allows you to report what the colonoscopy experience was like for you, as a patient.

It only takes a small amount of time to complete, but it can have a big impact.

Help us ensure the patient voice is heard, so that future colonoscopy care reflects what patients want and need.

Click the link to share your experience: https://bit.ly/3sMxAeL