Jo Dodt reflects on pancreatic cancer diagnosis

One of Gympie’s favourite daughters has reflected on the ‘gut-wrenching’ moment she was told to get her affairs in order following a devastating pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Watch the video.

A much-loved Gympie woman has recounted the “gut-wrenching” moment she was told to get her affairs in order.

Jo Dodt was a healthy 57-year-old QML phlebotomist when she could feel something was wrong with her body.

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At first, she thought it was type two diabetes, a disease she had been diagnosed with years earlier.

Despite this diagnosis, Jo decided to have blood tests run.

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“I’m very in tune with what goes on in my body,” she said.

“I know when something’s wrong.”

When the tests came back, they revealed she had stage three pancreatic cancer. It was the start of a terrifying journey.

Jo said the hardest part of the diagnosis was telling her family and friends.

“I still get emotional thinking about it,” she said.

“I’ll never forget the looks in their eyes.”

Jo rings the bell marking the end of her chemotherapy treatment. Picture: contributed.

Jo underwent her first surgery in 2019, which involved the removal of parts of her digestive system, was the first of many procedures.

In December of 2019, just in time for Christmas, Jo underwent her first round of chemotherapy.

She spent Christmas Day and Boxing Day in hospital that year.

Jo Dodt proudly displays an artwork her father made for her, with each marble representing a round of chemotherapy.

After her next chemotherapy round, she ended up in the Sunshine Coast University Hospital cardiac ward with heart complications.

Thirteen rounds later, she finally returned home to recover with her loving husband Scott, son Michael and daughter Aleisha and their families by her side.

“I’m of the belief you never recover in hospital,” Jo said.

“You always recover best in your own home environment.”

Jo likened her home to a florist, with a steady stream of loving visitors bringing sympathies, laughs and of course, plenty of flowers.

“The support was incredible,” she said.

While Jo has since come out on top of her fight with pancreatic cancer, not everyone is as lucky, she said.

In 2022, Cancer Australia estimates 4534 have been diagnosed with the cancer. Of those, nearly 78 per cent are terminal.

Jo Dodt said she lives life more calmly these days after her stoush with pancreatic cancer.

Reflecting on the day she entered remission, Jo said it was like winning the lottery.

“You can’t be happier to hear that … you’re going to be okay,” she said.

“The house was full of flowers and visits.

“Everyone was very excited.”

Now, Jo said she lives a calmer lifestyle and spends much of her time focusing on her hobbies and friends.

She said she loves crafts, candlemaking, camping and hanging out with her friends.