NEED TO KNOW
- An 29-year-old Australian musician was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer
- The cancer is primarily associated with people over 50, though cases in young people have been increasing
- “Getting a diagnosis now could be the difference in a stage 1 tumor or stage 4 metastatic,” Jordan Brunoli wrote
A 29-year-old bassist has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer — and now he’s encouraging other young people to know the warning signs.
Jordan Brunoli, a bassist in the Brisbane-based band Bugs, was diagnosed with “incurable” stage 4 cancer, which has since spread to his liver and lymph nodes, and required the installation of a stoma. The musician recently began his second round of chemotherapy, per his GoFundMe page, and though he’s slowly returning to some normal activities, he’s urging young people like himself to monitor their health and speak up for themselves if something seems off.
Colorectal cancer, or colon cancer, affects the large intestine and is generally seen in patients older than 50, per the Mayo Clinic, though it is possible to develop at any age. Common symptoms include a shift in bowel habits, bloody stool and persistent abdominal pain, fatigue and/or weight loss.
In the initial message on Brunoli’s GoFundMe, his Bugs bandmates said the diagnosis was both “devastating” and “completely out of the blue.”
“He has been incredibly strong through this process and is determined to fight,” they wrote, adding, “He is an incredible son, loving partner and lifelong friend to many.”
Brunoli wrote an update on the page on July 31, roughly one month after the fundraiser began. By that time, the GoFundMe had collected over $100k in donations, which Brunoli said greatly helped him pay for medications, supplies and treatments.
The bassist shared he’s been able to find some normalcy amid his ongoing treatments, as he’s begun driving again, visiting with friends and eating when he’s feeling well enough. He’s also returned to his music, his “therapeutic happy place,” he said.
“I am getting used to living with a stoma and the goofiness of having an asshole on my belly!” Brunoli wrote, adding he’s able to do 90% of what he could do before.
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Brunoli then urged young people to monitor their health closely and advocate for themselves in medical settings.
“I thought I was too young, but there has been a recent increase in instances of colorectal cancer in people under 30’s,” he wrote. “Getting a diagnosis now could be the difference in a stage 1 tumor or stage 4 metastatic.”
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