Blossom + Bloom candles owner Teagan Scott battles bowel cancer

An Ocean Grove businesswoman thought she’d eaten too much pasta, she never imaged cancer. Now she’s pleading for others to “get checked”.

Teagan Scott, owner of Blossom + Bloom is battling stage four bowel cancer.

When an Ocean Grove woman went to hospital for what she thought was constipation after eating “too much pasta”, she never imagined she would be diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer.

Teagan Scott said she was still shocked by the “devastating” diagnosis and pleaded with seemingly healthy people to keep up-to-date with medical check ups.

“Two weeks ago, I strolled into ED (emergency department) with a small tum tum issue,” she said.

“I’m 39 and I had absolutely no symptoms, until the two maybe three weeks prior.

“I honestly thought they’d give me something to help go to the loo and I’d be on my way.”

Instead, a CAT scan revealed multiple growths, suspected to be tumours, and she was rushed into emergency surgery.

Being wheeled into the operating theatre, Mrs Scott said she was still coming to terms with the fact it could be cancer.

“I saw the surgeon and he just gave me this look,” she said

“He said, ‘we’re not really going to know until we go in and have a look, but you should prepare for … a major surgery’.”

It took seven hours for surgeons to remove the multiple growths and polyps including a “very nasty one” that perforated her bowel, causing her to lose her large intestine, spleen and part of her pancreas.

The mother-of-three was then transferred to the intensive care unit.

“Lab results are back and I’m devastated to share that it’s stage four bowel cancer,” she said.

A little over a week after her first surgery, Mrs Scott suffered a haemorrhage and needed a second surgery.

But she said she was choosing to hold on to the silver linings.

“It hasn’t hit my lymph nodes,” she said.

“I’m running with that news … holding onto hope as I head into chemo.

“I absolutely have this!”

Colourful candle company, Blossom + Bloom was started by sister-in-laws Teagan Scott and Dani Scott. Photo: Ginger + Mint

Mrs Scott, the owner South Geelong candle business Blossom + Bloom, said her family and friends were keeping the business running.

She said her sister-in-law Dani Scott, who co-owned the business with her until last year, was also back to help.

“The show must go on,” she said.

“I do love it and it’s my creative outlet and I want to keep it going because I’m going to get through this.

“It’s business as usual.”

Colourful candle by Blossom + Bloom. Photo: Ginger + Mint

A GoFundMe page launched on Saturday had raised more than $14,000 by Tuesday.

Mrs Scott thanked the community for the support, and pleaded with others to get checked before it was too late.

“If you’ve been putting off a check-up, please go,” she said.

“Life can flip in the blink of an eye.”

Originally published as Blossom + Bloom candles owner Teagan Scott battles bowel cancer