No one should go through bowel cancer alone.

"I was 27, married and had an 18 month old when I was diagnosed with Stage 2 bowel cancer in 2020.

As much of a terrible and frightening experience it was for me and my family, it made me realise how important it is to enjoy life, and to get yourself checked regularly.

I am now back to living a normal life, with my beautiful wife and two beautiful boys. I wanted to share my story for Dry July as a positive one and that if you listen to your body and find it early, it is treatable."

This is why we Dry July.

"No one wants to hear ‘you have cancer’. Being so young it’s not something you ever think of, then having to think about the possibility of dying, not being able to have kids of your own – it was so much to process, especially at 29 years old.

Sadly, my twin sister Christina was only 30 when she left this world, passing away a mere 14 months after diagnosis.

I will always cherish our 30th birthday we got to enjoy as our last birthday together and that I was there by her side throughout this tough journey, until her last breathe.”

This is why we Dry July.

“Dry July means so much for me this year. Sadly my wife, a daughter and a mum of two beautiful children, Chantel passed away after fighting bowel cancer for two and half years.

This is an opportunity I will take on every year to help raise as much money as I can to go towards bowel cancer research, detection and treatments.

Young people are being diagnosed with this disease every day and there needs to be shift in that this no longer an old person's disease.”

This is why we Dry July.

“As a gastroenterologist with special interest in therapeutic endoscopy I regularly diagnose and treat patients with bowel cancer, but I am passionate about doing my part in preventing this disease. 

Most of all I love being able to remove precancerous lesions endoscopically, potentially saving patients from having to have invasive surgery.

Out of the work setting, I try to raise community awareness through my efforts with the Dry July campaign.”

This is why we Dry July.