Stage 4 Cancer Patient Warns: “The Sign I Ignored Nearly Cost Me My Life”
When forty-seven-year-old Susan Schmidt from Brisbane began feeling unusually tired, she blamed it on work, parenting, and midlife stress. The fatigue seemed harmless — just another part of being a busy mother. She had no idea that those quiet, creeping signs were the first whispers of stage four bowel cancer — a disease that would upend her life and, ultimately, inspire her to save others.
“I would drive my daughter to rowing practice at five in the morning,” she recalled, “and by the time I got home, I could barely keep my eyes open. I’d nap in the car before even going inside. I thought I was just exhausted — who wouldn’t be?”
But exhaustion wasn’t the only clue her body was trying to send.
Subtle Symptoms, Silent Threat
A few months later, while on a long-awaited family trip to France, Susan noticed something new: constipation. It was mild at first — uncomfortable, but manageable. “I figured it was the cheese, the pastries, maybe the change in routine,” she said. “It didn’t even cross my mind that it could be cancer.”
When she returned home, things took a frightening turn. The pain began to escalate, creeping from dull to unbearable. “One night, I ended up curled on the bathroom floor,” she said, her voice trembling at the memory. “I was vomiting, had diarrhoea, and the cramps were so bad I thought I might pass out. It was worse than childbirth. That’s when I knew something was very wrong.”
She went to her doctor the next day. Blood tests, ultrasounds, and scans came back “normal.” Doctors reassured her that cancer was unlikely. “They told me it was probably stress, or diet, or my hormones,” she said. “And for a moment, I wanted to believe them.”
But Susan’s instincts wouldn’t quiet down. “Something deep inside me said, no, this isn’t right.”
The Diagnosis That Changed Everything
When her symptoms persisted, Susan demanded a colonoscopy — a test that would change everything.
“When I woke up from the procedure, I saw the doctor’s face,” she recalled. “He didn’t even have to say it. I just knew.”
The tumor they discovered was aggressive. Further scans showed that the cancer had already spread to her uterus, pelvic lymph nodes, and right lung. It was stage four.
Her world stopped. “You never think you’ll hear those words,” she said. “Stage four. You just… go blank. I thought of my daughter first. I thought, How do I tell her? How do I prepare her?”
But even in the shock, Susan made a decision: she wouldn’t give in to despair. “I let myself cry — of course I did. But then I decided I wouldn’t live in fear. I would live in fight.”
Fighting for Life, and for Others
Treatment began almost immediately — surgeries, rounds of chemotherapy, endless appointments. Through it all, Susan refused to be silent. “When you’re sitting in those hospital chairs, you meet people who waited too long to get checked. People who thought, like I did, that their symptoms were ‘nothing serious.’”
That realization lit something inside her. She began documenting her journey online — not for pity, but for purpose.
“I wanted people to know that cancer doesn’t always come with flashing lights,” she said. “Sometimes it starts as something tiny — a little fatigue, a little discomfort. If you feel off, don’t ignore it. Push for answers. You know your body better than anyone.”
Her honesty struck a nerve. Messages began pouring in — from strangers, from other patients, from families who scheduled their first screenings after reading her posts.
A New Mission: The Floozie Foundation
Determined to turn her pain into purpose, Susan founded The Floozie Foundation, a community organization that supports adult cancer patients and their families across Australia. The foundation provides emotional support, educational resources, and financial relief for those navigating treatment — but it’s also about something deeper: changing the conversation.
“People are still embarrassed to talk about bowel habits,” she said. “But that silence is killing us. If sharing my story helps even one person catch cancer early, then it’s worth every uncomfortable detail.”
Through public talks, social media campaigns, and fundraising efforts, The Floozie Foundation has already inspired thousands to get screened, breaking down stigma around topics once considered taboo.
Her message is clear: awareness saves lives.
Finding Strength in Vulnerability
Susan’s story isn’t just about surviving cancer — it’s about reclaiming power in the face of fear. She credits her family, friends, and medical team for helping her keep her faith strong.
“I don’t wake up every day feeling brave,” she admitted. “Some days I’m scared, and I cry. But then I think about my daughter — about the people I’ve met who didn’t get the chance to fight — and I remind myself how lucky I am to still be here.”
Her courage has become contagious. Through social media, she continues to share updates and small glimpses of hope — moments of laughter in hospital rooms, snapshots of her foundation’s outreach events, and posts reminding others to listen to their bodies.
“Don’t wait,” she says in one video, looking straight into the camera. “If your gut tells you something’s wrong, it probably is. Trust yourself. Get tested. Early detection saved my life — and it could save yours.”
A Voice That Saves Others
Today, as Susan continues her treatment and advocacy, she carries both the scars of battle and the light of purpose. Her experience has made her one of the most passionate voices in Australia’s cancer awareness community — a voice reminding others that the smallest symptom can sometimes be the loudest warning.
She knows not everyone will get the chance she did — which is why she’s determined to make her story matter.
“Cancer took a lot from me,” she said. “But it gave me something, too — clarity. A reason to speak. A reason to fight for others.”
From a nap in the car to a foundation that’s changing lives, Susan Schmidt’s journey is proof that awareness begins with listening — and that even in the darkest moments, light can still find a way through.