Lucie Morris-Marr’s Cancer Battle Sparks Outcry Over Processed Meat Risks
Investigative journalist and author Lucie Morris-Marr was riding the high of a successful career when her world came to a halt—she was diagnosed with stage-four bowel cancer. “I felt perfectly fine,” she said in an interview with Nine to Noon. “My book had just launched, and everything was moving forward—until suddenly, it all stopped. It felt like I lost a part of who I was.”
While undergoing aggressive treatment, Lucie began researching bowel cancer and was deeply unsettled by what she found. The World Health Organization (WHO) had categorized processed meats as Group 1 carcinogens—the same classification given to cigarettes and alcohol.
“The link between processed meats and bowel cancer kept appearing in my research,” she explained. Though she had never thought of herself as a big meat eater, a deeper look at her eating habits painted another picture.
“I’d have prosciutto with melon, grab a sausage at Bunnings, enjoy bacon during the holidays, and order pepperoni pizza most Fridays,” Lucie admitted. “I’m not claiming that these foods caused my cancer, but I can’t ignore the possibility—and that left me feeling frustrated.”
What troubled her even more was the lack of public health warnings. “Why aren’t we seeing warning labels? Where are the national awareness campaigns?” she asked. “I’m not trying to cause panic about food, but someone has to speak up.”
According to the WHO, eating just 50 grams of processed meat a day—roughly two strips of bacon—can raise your risk of developing bowel cancer by 18%.
These meats often contain chemical preservatives like nitrates and nitrites, which may turn harmful when heated or digested. They’re also typically packed with salt and saturated fat, contributing to cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure.
Now, Lucie is urging others to take a closer look at what they eat and stay alert to hidden dietary dangers. Her journey has become a wake-up call—not just for herself, but for anyone who thinks a few slices of bacon are harmless.