Kharlia Beck beats bowel cancer after huge weight loss journey

One Sunshine Coast’s woman’s weight loss journey took a surprising turn when she was diagnosed with bowel cancer, leaving surgeons “shocked”. Now, three years later she’s pursuing a life she never thought possible. Read how.

A Peachester woman who wanted to lose weight never expected the very surgery she’d hoped would change her life would lead to discovering she had bowel cancer.

When Kharlia Beck, 35, underwent gastric bypass surgery in 2019 she thought the goal of weight loss would be the only hurdle she’d have to face.

Then she was diagnosed with bowel cancer.

Weighing at 145kg before the surgery, Ms Beck said she had needed to make a change in her life to ensure she stayed healthy but it was the shock diagnosis that really shook up her outlook on life.

“The surgery really saved my life twice,” Ms Beck said.

“I had my bypass surgery in June and then I was starting to get the pain about October and a few months after I was concerned maybe it was to do with the surgery, a type of side effect which can sometimes happen.

“The pain at one point was starting to die down, if I hadn’t had the surgery I wouldn't have paid attention to it.”

A colonoscopy just before Christmas 2019 revealed the bowel cancer and Ms Beck proceeded with immediate removal and chemotherapy.

But after her six-month check-up she discovered the cancer had recurred, which required further major surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and immunotherapy.

Ms Beck said during her second bout of treatment she discovered the care and treatment options offered at the Bloomhill Cancer Care.

“I was finding it really hard, I was isolated and felt like there was nobody to connect to,” Ms Beck said.

“They had so many things available, including massage but it was the art therapy which created such a beautiful support network for me.

“It was so good to talk to people going through similar things, because family and friends support me and love me, but they have their own stuff going on.”

Having since lost about 60kg in total and “out the other end” of her cancer battle, Ms Beck said she has a new lease on life, and has even decided to pursue a career as a graphic designer.

“I’m doing really well, I’ve lost a lot of weight, feeling fabulous after the treatment was very extreme,” she said.

“(Life) is very different, combined with a whole new outlook on life, I’m a competently different person physically and mentally.

“I’m discovering who that person is and I’m still on the journey but I’ve just completed my first semester studying graphic design at the University of Sunshine Coast.”

Ms Beck said the care she received at Bloomhill‘s was vital to her recovery, and urged people to support the Be There For Bloomhill Appeal which coincides with Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

Chief Executive Officer Christopher John said charity had faced difficulties after the pandemic in its fundraising.

““The op shops which supply about 75 per cent of the charity’s income have this year had sales dip so low Bloomhill was until recently eating into its savings to keep afloat,” Mr John said.

“This year Bloomhill celebrates 25 years of providing individualised support, and we want to continue this for the next 25 years.”