Terminal Cancer Patient Issues Warning About Small Symptom That Could Signal Deadly Illness
Susan Schmidt, a 47-year-old mother of two from Australia, received life-changing news in 2023 when she was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer. For Susan, a physiotherapist and mother deeply involved in her children’s daily lives, the diagnosis came as a shock, though she had experienced several warning signs in the months leading up to it. She now hopes that by sharing her story, others can learn from her experience and recognize symptoms before they escalate to a serious, potentially fatal stage. Susan described the early signs of her illness as “strange” and “subtle.” Fatigue, constipation, and occasional bouts of severe pain had become part of her life, yet she initially dismissed them as minor inconveniences or effects of early menopause. “I’d drive my daughter 15 minutes to her rowing lessons and have to stop on the…