Dane’s Story: Why Bowel Cancer Research Can't Wait

Dane was the picture of health—former rugby league player and father of two living an active lifestyle. But one ordinary day, an upset stomach turned his whole world upside down.

“I looked down and saw blood in my stool. No pain, no warning—just blood,” Dane recalls.

That moment changed everything. A visit to his GP, a colonoscopy… and then the words no one ever expects to hear: stage four bowel cancer.

Dane was just 42.

The diagnosis hit hard, for him and for his family. But thanks to advanced surgery at Mater Private Hospital Townsville, doctors were able to successfully remove the cancer. He also had part of his liver removed and went through six months of gruelling chemotherapy.

“I was lucky I looked down that day and got checked,” Dane says. “If I’d waited even a little longer, my story might’ve ended differently.”

Dane’s story is a stark reminder: bowel cancer doesn’t always come with obvious symptoms. It’s now Australia’s second deadliest cancer, and the country has the highest rate in the world among people under 50*.

That’s why research is so important.

Leader of Mater Research’s Cancer Biology Laboratory, Professor John Hooper, has been on a mission to change the future for bowel cancer patients.

"Our research is focused on coming up with better ways to detect cancer cells in their early stages and then being able to deliver treatment straight to those damaged cells."

"My team has developed a new method that we hope will greatly improve early detection, and we're now in the early stages of testing our new cutting-edge technology in clinical trials for several forms of cancer."

If successful, Professor Hooper’s trial could expand treatment options and improve outcomes for bowel cancer patients.

Today, Dane’s scans are clear. He’s focused on his health, his family, and making the most of every day.

Every Mater Prize Home ticket helps fund the research that makes survival possible. It supports clinical trials, accelerates innovation, and gives more people like Dane a chance to live.

*Cancer in Australia statistics

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