A woman was left devastated after her sister died from an ‘old man’s disease’ only days after they celebrated their 30th birthday.
Emily Taylor was by her sister Christina’s side when she suddenly felt sick in 2018.
Only one year after their nightmare started, Christina passed away surrounded by her loved ones.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, Emily said: “Going through something like cancer is tough on any family member, but being a twin it’s just unimaginable.
“Being a twin is a different bond, that really only twins can understand.
“It’s those gut feelings you get or those thoughts in your head and you just know what each other are doing, thinking or feeling.”
It was in April 2018 when they discovered a mass. “Not only was she told it was cancerous what they removed, but she also now had to deal with having basically a “poo bag” to deal with,” Emily shared.
“It was quite a traumatic experience to deal with at 29 but in true Christina form she took it all in her stride. She joined a bunch of Facebook groups and we begun learning about bowel cancer,” she continued.
But after the surgery, Christina’s wounds were not healing fast enough and there was already a build up of fluid. This meant that chemotherapy to kill remaining cancerous cells off was delayed.
Doctors found fluid on her lungs and the sisters were told that the cancer had spread. Chemotherapy then started.
In February 2019, Emily and Christina celebrated their 30th birthday to forget about the cancer.
“In hospital she did tell me how much she appreciated me and thanked me for being a great sister, which I’m grateful we got the chance to have that moment,” she said.
“In the end we were all there surrounding her as she left.”
The early symptoms of bowel cancer may include stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, or a chance in the consistency of stool.
“Cancer is general does not discriminate,” Emily went on. “It’s not something you can delay, ignore or think won’t happen to you.
“This whole experience has taught us that the whole “it won’t happen to me” mindset needs to disappear, along with some doctors and people’s mindset that just because of your age, sex and general health that it can’t be cancer.
“Bowel cancer is known as an old man’s disease but I can assure you from the groups that I still take part in that there are a lot of young fighters with the same stories out there and if sharing Christina’s helps save just one life, that’s all that matters.”
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