Join us as we talk to Chris Clarke.

Chris was 36, fit, healthy, and living an active life with his young family in Sydney’s Northern Beaches when a family holiday to Byron Bay changed everything. What started as a gastro bug quickly escalated into emergency hospital transfers, surgery, and a diagnosis that no one saw coming — Stage 4 bowel cancer.

In this episode, Chris shares the raw reality of navigating a life-altering diagnosis with no symptoms, no family history, and no warning signs. Recorded while hooked up to his 12th and final round of chemotherapy, he opens up about undergoing major surgery, the physical and emotional toll of full-dose treatment, the invisible mental weight of cancer.

Chris’s story is also one of extraordinary resilience and advocacy. Mid-treatment, he ran a full marathon coming off a chemo cycle and returned to treatment just two days later — raising over $20,000 for bowel cancer awareness in the process. Now, he’s using his voice to push for change, appearing in media, lobbying at Parliament House, and advocating for earlier screening access for young Australians.

This episode is a powerful reminder that cancer doesn’t always look the way we expect it to — and that no symptoms does not mean no cancer.

June is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and Chris’s story is one every young Australian needs to hear.

Some resources and links below:

https://www.bowelcanceraustralia.org/

Fundraising: https://challenge.bowelcanceraustralia.org/page/ChrisClarke-94758725

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Noel Carmona.

Noel Angelo Carmona never expected a persistent cough to change his life. But after coughing to the point of unconsciousness, the Hunter Valley husband and father admitted himself to hospital — where he was diagnosed with Thymic Carcinoma, a rare cancer affecting just one in a million people in Australia.

In this raw and powerful episode of The Big C Podcast, Noel shares the reality of navigating a cancer so rare there is no clear treatment roadmap. Over the past three years, he has undergone surgery, four types of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, two failed clinical trials, and radiation — all while facing the emotional, physical and financial toll of a system that often leaves rare cancer patients behind.

Noel opens up about paying nearly $3,000 every three weeks for treatment not covered by the PBS, the heartbreak of failed clinical trials, and why he’s now using his voice to advocate for better access, awareness, and support for rare cancer patients across Australia.

This episode is about resilience, family, mental health, and the fight for a fairer system — even when the odds are one in a million.

Some resources below:

https://www.rarecancers.org.au/

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1DnJqAiFdw/?mibextid=wwXIfr

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14dybFgPcjV/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Join us as we talk to Dana Shea.

At 24 years old, Dana Shea thought the pain she felt after a Pilates class was probably nothing serious. But a visit to the GP quickly turned into scans, emergency surgery, and a life-changing diagnosis — a rare ovarian cancer called an immature teratoma.

In this episode, Dana shares the shock of being diagnosed so young, undergoing surgery, and facing three months of chemotherapy with little time to process what was happening.

More than a decade later, Dana is cancer-free, a mum of two, and using her experience to help support others navigating life after cancer.

This conversation is honest, emotional, and full of hope — touching on fertility, identity, friendship, humour through hard moments, and the importance of listening to your body when something feels “off.”

Dana’s story is a powerful reminder that cancer can happen at any age, and that early action can change everything.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.