Food poisoning led Brisbane man Rory Esler to cancer diagnosis

Brisbane man Rory Esler’s diagnosis of bowel cancer was uncovered by accident, but experts say the diagnosis in people his age is terrifyingly common.

Rory Esler at home in New Farm with partner Olivia and dog George. Picture: Lachie Millard

A horrendous case of food poisoning literally saved Rory Esler’s life.

The self described “average sort of bloke” who enjoys having a beer with friends, walking his dog and going surfing on the weekend, is one of the growing number of young Aussies diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Rates among adolescents and young adults (aged 15-24 years) has skyrocketed by 266 per cent in the past three decades with Bowel Cancer Australia figures showing it is now the deadliest cancer for people aged between 25 and 44.

Alarmingly, Mr Esler, 34, said he had no symptoms before his diagnosis.

Rory Esler, with his partner Olivia, says the diagnosis has impacted his ability to plan for his future. Picture: Lachie Millard

“The only symptom I had was maybe a drop of blood in my stool, literally, a single drop after a really big night on the piss ... but all my friends had seen similar things as well,” Mr Esler said.

It was a bad duck sandwich that finally led him to hospital and a series of tests that ended with him receiving life changing news: he had a 5cm tumour on his bowel that had begun to spread to numerous local lymph nodes.

Mr Esler underwent a seven-hour surgery to remove the tumour, along with 33 lymph nodes, of which 11 were cancerous.

Bowel Cancer Australia medical director Professor Graham Newstead said there was still no concrete explanation as to why rates have soared among young people.

“It’s not that it’s genetically more likely now, and it’s probably the food we eat or what is in the atmosphere,” Prof Newstead said.

For Mr Esler, his focus is now on beating the cancer, as he undergoes a course of strenuous chemotherapy.

“I just feel like it’s, in reality, taken away my future in a way,” he said.

“Because all that matters to me is beating this and that comes at a price of putting money away to buy a property or set up ourselves financially – everything’s on hold.”

A GoFundMe has been established to help Mr Esler with his ongoing medical costs.