Doctors ignored 29-year-old's stage 4 cancer symptoms until it was too late
Brunoli discovered that the cancer had spread from his bowels to his liver and lymph nodes after doctors finally agreed to give him a scan.
His bandmates have since created a GoFundMe page for his treatment.
The band first broke the news to fans in a heartbreaking post on Instagram in June.
They revealed that Brunoli was 'sent away from the emergency room and his GP repeatedly' after first showing symptoms.
'After months of constant pain Jordan was finally sent for a scan and diagnosed leaving his family in a state of shock'.
Since then, the musician has had surgery to remove tumours from his bowel and lymph nodes.
Doctors also created a stoma — an opening in his bowels to collect waste.
A charity concert is being planned in Brisbane, and as word of Brunoli's diagnosis spreads many are sharing their shock and dismay that so many younger people are being affected by the disease.
The musician said that he has been 'getting used to living with a stoma'.
'Physically, this doesn't hold me back, I'm able to do 90 per cent of what I could before, just with a slightly higher risk of getting a hernia,' Brunoli said on his GoFundMe page.
'Not to be preachy, but if you have witnessed any blood in your stool, experienced weird abdominal pains, unexplained weight loss, or extended periods of fatigue — don't be afraid to raise it with your GP and ask for an abdominal ultrasound.
'I thought I was too young, but there has been a recent increase in instances of colorectal cancer in people under 30.
'Getting a diagnosis now could be the difference in a stage 1 tumour or stage 4 metastatic.'
Colon cancer falls under the banner of bowel cancer, with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners reporting that it was up 266 per cent from the 1980s among 15 to 24 year olds.
The spike in bowel cancer cases is so worrying, the US Preventive Services Task Force changed its colorectal cancer screening guidelines in 2021 to lower the recommended age to start screening from 50 to 45 for those experiencing symptoms and those with a family history of colon cancer may be eligible earlier.
Oncologists have partly blamed the concerning rise on obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, the Western diet, excess sugar consumption, and environmental factors such as pollutants in the air, soil, and water.
Early detection can improve survival chances. Treatment often involves surgery to remove the tumour, chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
So what are the warning signs to look out for?
Changes in bowel habits: Persistent changes such as diarrhoea, constipation, or a feeling that the bowel does not empty completely.
Blood in stool: This can appear as bright red blood or darker stools, indicating bleeding in the colon.
Abdominal discomfort: Frequent gas pains, bloating, fullness, or cramps.
Unexplained weight loss: Losing weight without trying can be a sign of colon cancer.
Fatigue and weakness: Persistent tiredness that doesn't improve with rest.
Narrow stools: Stools that are thinner than usual may indicate changes in the colon.
Feeling of incomplete evacuation: A sensation that you need to have a bowel movement even after you've had one.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
25 minutes ago
- ABC News
Fears Clermont's sole GP will leave town over new hospital shifts
When doctor Tim Lane, his partner and young son moved to Clermont in central Queensland 18 months ago, it ended six years of community uncertainty. After years of lobbying, advertising and a few false starts, the town of 3,000 finally had a permanent doctor at the hospital and a promise to open a second GP clinic in town. However, rostering changes implemented by Mackay Hospital and Health Service (MHHS) have locals worried there will be fewer available GP appointments. Dr Lane is now required to work 7am–9am and 4pm–7pm in the hospital. Sam Faint, chair of community advocacy group ClermontCONNECT, said this would mean 10–15 fewer GP appointments a day. She said initially an integrated roster system allowed Dr Lane flexibility to run the GP practice "while prioritising work inside the hospital". "It's unlikely that the surgery will be able to continue to be viable if that model doesn't revert back to what it was." Dr Lane declined to comment but, in a statement, his practice manager Deb Shore said changes meant the GP clinic would reduce opening hours. "[It will] limit the flexibility we've had to support the hospital emergency department and collaborate with the health service when needed," the statement read. In a statement, MHHS said there had been no change to the medical model that enabled doctors to work in the hospital and in general practice. It said under this employment arrangement, there were required hours of attendance at Clermont's Multi-Purpose Health Service (MPHS). The health service said it could not comment on opening hours of a privately owned general practice. A second permanent doctor has started work at the MPHS, a move MHHS said would increase medical coverage. The new doctor will work five days a fortnight at the hospital and the other five at the GP surgery. The second doctor is completing her general practitioner qualifications and will be required to work under Dr Lane's supervision for six months. A locum doctor is also employed to cover when both permanent doctors are rostered off. Recruiting doctors to work in the Isaac region is a long-standing issue, and community advocates such as Ms Faint worry what might happen if Dr Lane leaves. For a permanent population of 22,500 people and a large itinerant workforce of around 13,000, the region is serviced by six GPs in Moranbah, as well as one each in the smaller towns of Dysart and Middlemount. An outreach clinic services Nebo to the east. In January, doctor Sarah McLay closed her Clermont Country Practice, the town's only other clinic, with some patients transitioning to telehealth appointments from Emerald, more than 100 kilometres away. That same month, the Moranbah Sonic Health Plus practice closed after 10 years, with no reason given. Clermont, a three-hour drive from Mackay and four hours from Rockhampton, has lived with periods of uncertainty in health care before. The community has previously fought to attract permanent doctors and reduce its reliance on expensive locums. Steve Salleras worked as a GP in Clermont from 1998 to 2001 and said health outcomes had been consistently worse for people in rural and remote areas. In a statement, Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls said primary care was not the state government's responsibility. "The Commonwealth government has vacated the field in Clermont and dozens of other rural and remote communities of Queensland, leaving it up to Queensland Health to step in a fill the gap," Mr Nichols said. In a statement, federal MP for Capricornia Michelle Landry said the appeal of rural health roles had declined over the past few years. She described the absence of a permanent GP in any small community as "dangerous". A spokesperson for the federal health department said under the Workforce Incentive Program a GP in Clermont could receive up to $60,000 annually, while a GP practice could receive up to $215,280 a year. Dr Salleras said small Queensland communities like Theodore and Cloncurry had successfully built sustainable health models to support both emergency and primary care, but it relied on making a doctor's time in a rural area as smooth as possible. "[If there are] high levels of trust, that makes it a positive place to attract people and means that there's potential even for a succession plan," he said.
ABC News
25 minutes ago
- ABC News
Independent review into Monash IVF embryo bungles in Melbourne and Brisbane to remain secret
Monash IVF has received an independent review into unrelated cases of embryo mix-ups in Brisbane and Melbourne but the contents will remain secret. In an announcement to the ASX today, the fertility giant said the review, undertaken by barrister Fiona McLeod KC, would not be released publicly to protect the privacy of affected patients. "Both cases involved non-standard IVF treatments and circumstances that would not arise in the vast majority of IVF procedures," Monash IVF said in the ASX announcement. The review concluded the Brisbane incident was the result of human error. It found the Melbourne incident resulted from a range of factors, including human error at multiple stages and IT system limitations "in the very limited circumstances of an embryo transfer to a partner". "Those limitations ultimately made subsequent processes more vulnerable to human error," the ASX announcement said. In April, revelations emerged that one of Monash IVF's Brisbane patients had been mistakenly implanted with another woman's embryo in 2023 and gave birth to a baby who had no genetic links to her later that year. Then, in June, the fertility company apologised for a second time in as many months after a patient received her own embryo "contrary to the treatment plan which designated the transfer of an embryo of the patient's partner".
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Dead turtles with bleeding eyes wash up on Port Stephens beaches
Wildlife carers are investigating the cause of death of dozens of turtles that have washed ashore north of Newcastle, with some showing unusual symptoms such as bleeding around the eyes. In the past month, marine rescue group Sea Shelter has recorded the deaths of 25 green turtles that washed ashore at Port Stephens beaches, seven of them in the past week alone. NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service confirmed it was investigating the deaths of at least 32 turtles in recent weeks. Sea Shelter founders Lia and Ryan Pereira said the sudden spike was deeply concerning. "It's definitely very, very worrying," Ms Pereira told ABC Newcastle Breakfast. The Pereiras have been rescuing marine life through their Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters business for more than a decade. The deaths are under investigation by multiple agencies, including NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Department of Primary Industries and the Taronga Zoo's Australian Registry of Wildlife Health. Veterinarian Tom Tran, who works with Sea Shelter, has been conducting necropsies on the turtles. "We take pictures and tissue samples and send them to a special lab in Sydney," Dr Tran said. The dead turtles have been found across several popular swimming spots, including Shoal Bay, Nelson Bay and Corlette. Mr Pereira said while the wash-ups appeared to be concentrated near popular beaches, that could be because the large local population made sightings more likely. In a statement, National Parks and Wildlife Service confirmed samples were being collected for testing and investigations into the cause were underway. The Taronga Zoo registry said in a statement it had undertaken necropsies on two turtles and was conducting diagnostic testing on samples from a further 15 marine turtles from Port Stephens to understand their cause of death. "It is too early to establish a definitive diagnosis," the statement read. "A thorough, multifaceted investigation is underway and it may take some weeks to determine the factors contributing to the event." The NSW Environmental Protection Authority said it was not involved in the investigation.
