Bowel cancer is Australia’s second-deadliest cancer. Yet, when caught early, it’s 99% treatable. It’s a statistic that’s not just startling, it’s personal for New Farm local Susan ‘Sooz’ Schmidt, who was diagnosed with Stage Four rectal cancer at just 45 years old.
Now, Sooz (centre, main feature image)has become a powerful voice for Kleenex and Bowel Cancer Australia’s national awareness campaign this Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. She is passionate about reminding Aussies to “Break the taboo, and check your poo” — a clever call-to-action printed on the humble cardboard toilet roll core.
But, Sooz’s journey started long before she ever imagined herself as a health advocate.
“The earliest symptoms I had (but didn’t investigate) were crushing fatigue. I had been so tired and had to pull my car over and sleep on the side of the road,” she recalls. “I put that down to being perimenopausal. Of being a mum of a rower and a tennis player. And, maybe long covid or something.”
A bout of unexplained constipation during a trip to France raised a red flag. But, like many others, Sooz brushed it off. The turning point came in August 2023, during a sleepless night caring for her sick horse.
“I was debilitated with pain and started vomiting undigested food. I lay on the bathroom floor for 8 hours.” Thinking it might be salmonella like her horse, Sooz went to her GP. Tests came back clear. But, when the pain returned just days later, her GP ordered a colonoscopy. It was a move that saved her life.
“I woke from the colonoscopy being told they were unable to perform it because I had a tumor in my rectum so large they couldn’t get the camera past.”
A few days later, doctors delivered the unimaginable news. Stage 4 rectal cancer with metastases in her uterus, pelvic lymph nodes and lungs.
Even as a former physiotherapist, Sooz admits, “I had no suspicion it was cancer. It didn’t even cross my mind. However, her reaction was resolute. “I just decided I was going to beat it. I need to beat it for my kids and my hubby. But, also for my business and my mum and dad too. I just hate the idea that my parents would outlive me.”
Motherhood has made the emotional toll of cancer especially hard. “The treatment makes me so fatigued it is hard to be present. My hubby has been amazing… I spend a lot of time lounging around and watching Netflix.”
After a successful surgery in March, the family sat down and mapped out their “Make Hay While the Sun Shines” Tour. “The idea being to create lots of memories… I want to instil in my kids gratitude, as it helps build resilience.”
Sooz draws her passion for the subject from a desire to save lives. “I think that sharing my story as a part of Kleenex and Bowel Cancer Australia’s Break the taboo, and check your poo campaign is important so other families don’t have to go through this.”
A key barrier to early detection of bowel cancer is a lack of symptom awareness in addition to stigma and taboos around checking poo. To help combat this, Kleenex loo rolls across the country will now encourage Aussies to use their toilet time wisely – with a ‘Check your poo’ and dedicated poocheck.com.au support hub helping to raise awareness of bowel cancer symptoms and encouraging toilet-goers to take action.
Sooz believes bowel cancer deserves the same visibility as breast cancer. And, that stigma around talking about poo is literally killing people.
“Poo is a huge indicator of health. Even if it isn’t about bowel cancer, knowing what your poop is like is important.”
The Kleenex and Bowel Cancer Australia campaign comes as new research finds that nearly three-quarters (73.6%) of Australians admit they aren’t checking their poo for possible signs of bowel cancer. And, almost half (43.2%) are unable to correctly identify three key symptoms.
Poo taboos remain rife, with two-in-five (38.6%) respondents indicating they’re uncomfortable discussing bowel habits with family, and over a quarter (26.8%) with their doctor.
These days, Sooz has launched The Floozie Foundation. It aims to raise money for Bowel Cancer Australia and support the emotional wellbeing of adult cancer patients.
She describes herself as “a glimmer hunter,” someone who looks for moments of joy. “I introduced that idea to my friends and family as well and many have adopted the practice and tell me what a difference it has made to their lives.”
She’s also already seen the impact. of sharing her story. “All my friends and family have either done the screening tests or gone to have colonoscopies… many had precancerous polyps cut out. I am glad people used my story as motivation.”
Her advice to anyone second-guessing their symptoms? “If in doubt, check it out. Any symptom that lasts more than a week or happens frequently in a week needs investigation.”
And her hope? “That people celebrate life daily. None of us knows how long we have really… being negative and holding grudges is such a waste of energy.”