‘I’m too young. I don’t have time for this’: When Cedric finally sought help, the disease had already spread

Wednesday, 17 June 2026

Bowel cancer is New Zealand's second-deadliest cancer, claiming around 1200 lives annually despite being 90% treatable when detected early.

Cedric was diagnosed at 33 with bowel cancer that had already spread throughout his body.

A major misconception is that bowel cancer only affects older people, causing younger patients to dismiss symptoms as less serious conditions.

Thousands of New Zealanders are now eligible for earlier bowel cancer screening as the starting age dropped from 60 to 58 across most of the country.

The age will drop further to 56 later in the year. The rollout is expected to take two years and by September 2028, another 200,000 New Zealanders will have become eligible for screening.

Bowel cancer is the second-deadliest cancer in the country with around 1200 lives are lost each year. That is despite being up to 90% treatable when detected early.

We are talking to people who have been affected by the disease. If you have any questions about bowel cancer, use the form below and we will put them forward to experts to answer.

Cedric’s story - diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer at 33

I spent most of my childhood in the Far North, just outside Doubtless Bay. I was the middle child of five. Outside of school, most of our time was occupied by outdoor pursuits — bush walks, night eeling by kerosene lantern, that sort of thing — and reading.

Before my diagnosis, I knew very little about bowel cancer apart from what I’d seen growing up with a grandfather and several uncles who all had some form of bowel cancer. With the exception of one uncle who died very young, they had all been diagnosed early enough that they were able to live relatively normal lives for many decades afterwards. It hadn’t occurred to me that it was something you could die from.

In the months leading up to my diagnosis, I experienced persistent rectal bleeding, night sweats and worsening fatigue. The bleeding had actually been happening for years, although to a lesser extent.

I lost a significant amount of weight and then, one day, I woke up with a stabbing pain in my abdomen. It came and went, but eventually it became so severe that I ended up in hospital, where I was diagnosed.

When I was told I had cancer and that it had already spread, I was emotionally numb. I was the venue manager at Verona Café on Auckland’s K Rd and we had a very busy schedule planned for the following week, including a private function for Elemeno-P.

My immediate thought was: I don’t have time for this. I have so much work to do.

Physically, fatigue has been the most significant challenge. Early on, it was a deep, all-consuming exhaustion. But we have since switched to a lighter regimen and, although I still get very tired, I recover much faster and more fully.

Emotionally, some of the hardest moments came when treatment began visibly changing my appearance. I experienced extreme skin toxicity and significant hair thinning early on. Up until that point, I still looked relatively healthy.

At one point, I became extremely sensitive to smells, so I became hyper-vigilant about cleanliness, especially personal hygiene, which unfortunately made my skin problems significantly worse.

What has surprised me most throughout all of this has been the extraordinary kindness of other people.

The outpouring of care and support from family, friends and strangers has been quite overwhelming. My relationship with my family has really strengthened over the last year. My partner has been very strong through all of this, and in many ways he has been my true north, emotionally and spiritually.

I have received excellent care from everybody I have dealt with — from the doctors and nurses to the administrative team — and I am confident in saying that we have some of the best medical professionals in the world.

My doctors have been very transparent, so I now have a very clear understanding of the disease and its treatment, and I feel that I am in a position to make informed decisions regarding my care.

One of the biggest misconceptions about bowel cancer is the belief that it only affects older people.

Because of that, younger people often dismiss symptoms or assume they must be caused by something less serious. I certainly didn't see myself as somebody who was at risk, despite my family history.

That's one of the reasons I've chosen to speak publicly about my experience. Younger people are more likely to take their own health concerns seriously when they are having a conversation about it with someone who could be their friend, brother or colleague.

If sharing my story encourages even one person to get persistent symptoms checked, then perhaps they won't have to endure what I am going through.

Cancer has also fundamentally changed my relationship with my body.

I am much more sensitive to the rhythm of my body now and have learned to be gentler with it. It’s very easy when you are young to push yourself to extremes without allowing yourself time to rest.

But what I've learned, perhaps the hard way, is that fatigue and discomfort are not things to be worked through. Cancer has a way of ending that negotiation.

As for advice, the first thing I would say is: get informed quickly. Understand your diagnosis and your treatment options. Knowing what lies ahead is important because it puts you in a position to ask the right questions, make decisions that are right for you, and plan for the immediate future.

Beyond that, listen to your body. Eat the delicious things. Invest in the best linen you can afford. Buy yourself a bouquet of roses.

Do the things that bring you comfort and joy.

This is Bowel Cancer Awareness Month. Bowel Cancer New Zealand is encouraging people to know the symptoms:

• Bleeding from the bottom or in your poo

• A persistent change in bowel habits

• Ongoing or severe abdominal pain

• Unexplained weight loss or fatigue

• A lump or swelling in the abdomen

For more information, visit Bowel Cancer New Zealand here.