In 2023, 47-year-old Australian mother Susan Schmidt was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer after initially overlooking mild symptoms. She now wants to warn others about early signs.
Susan describes her symptoms—fatigue, constipation, and severe pain—as “strange” and “subtle.” She ignored them at first, attributing tiredness to early menopause and constipation to rich food. A severe episode on returning from a trip led to tests, which initially showed nothing unusual.
A colonoscopy and scans later revealed stage 4 bowel cancer, metastasized to her uterus, lymph nodes, and right lung. Susan urges people to trust their instincts and push for answers.
She has since launched The Floozie Foundation to support adult cancer patients in Australia and continues undergoing chemotherapy while raising awareness.