‘I thought it was a parasite’: 24yo diagnosed with cancer during round-the-world trip

A Brisbane woman was seven weeks into her once-in-a-lifetime round-the-world adventure when she fell ill, initially putting it down to a parasite. But it the reality was far worse.

Tora Murphy’s world fell apart after her diagnosis overseas. Picture: Josh Woning, J+A Photography,

An adventure of a lifetime quickly turned into a nightmare for a Brisbane woman on a round-the-world backpacking trip.

Tora Murphy was seven weeks into her trip when she fell ill in Colombia, initially thinking it was food poisoning or a parasitic infection.

Putting off a doctor’s appointment until she arrived in London, Ms Murphy received the shock of her life when she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer at just 24-years-old.

“I was seven weeks into a round-the-world trip with my boyfriend when I thought something was wrong,” she said.

“I’d felt bloated for about a month, but I put it down to travelling, drinking and eating new foods.

“I thought I might have some kind of parasite, but I decided to hold off until we reached London to see a doctor.

“As soon as we arrived I went to a hospital. I was expecting to get a pill and be on my way – but they told me they had found a mass and it was cancer.”

Tora Murphy holidaying in Cartagena, Colombia, with Hewson Perry.

Pictures: Supplied

Ms Murphy is now halfway through treatment at Mater Hospital in Brisbane after flying back to Australia from the UK.

“When the doctor dropped the C-bomb I thought ‘Excuse me! Is that right?’,” she said.

“I was in shock for a long time and sometimes it still doesn’t feel real. It feels like it’s happening to someone else – not to me.”

Ms Murphy is one of the youngest patients being treated for the disease at the Mater, with the average age of an ovarian cancer patient at 64.

Around 1,300 Australian women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year and is most commonly diagnosed in women over the age of 50.

Tora Murphy was in Colombia when she started felling unwell.

The couple in Las Vegas. Photos: Supplied

Due to Ms Murphy’s advanced stage, doctors could not save any of her eggs.

“Losing my fertility is obviously a big loss, but my life is more important than having my own babies,” she said.

“It’s been an intense time but my treatment looks like it is on track. My cancer is curable but the chance of a recurrence will be high.”

The Albion local is now sharing her story for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month in the hope of encouraging women to get checked more frequently.

“Ovarian cancer is hard to detect because the symptoms are so vague,” she said.

“But if they are ongoing you need to advocate yourself. If something’s wrong, get a check-up.”

Tora Murphy pictured near her home in Albion, Brisbane 11th January 2024. Picture: Josh Woning, J+A Photography,

Dr Catherine Shannon, Senior Medical Oncologist at the Mater Cancer Care Centre, said Tora’s cancer was unusual.

“Ovarian cancer is largely a disease of older women, but Tora has a mucinous subtype that we sometimes see in young women, although it is extremely uncommon,” Dr Shannon said.

“Tora’s surgery has been successful and she’s tolerating chemotherapy well.

“Her case illustrates how vague the symptoms of ovarian cancer be.

“It’s important for all women, of any age, to know the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer – including bloating, pelvic pain and abdominal distension.

“If they experience these symptoms persistently it is important to see a doctor and have them investigated.”