Dane’s Story

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, 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.

“Current clinical trials are about improving the way cancer is detected, but our ultimate goal is to provide a more effective treatment for several cancers including bowel cancer.

We’re hoping that 2026 will be the year we’re able to do this,” says Professor Hooper.

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.

Your support makes stories like Dane’s possible.

When you buy a Mater Cars for Cancer ticket, you’re helping fund life-saving research, earlier detection, and better treatments for cancer patients. Thank you for helping change and save lives. 

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*Cancer in Australia statistics