Michelle D'Cruz is one tough cookie. She kicked cancer when she was 27. Now at 29, she's doing it again. She credits her support network for her positivity, "There are days where I tell them that I am thoroughly fed up with this disease. 'Fight on' they say. That's just what I'm doing today."

Rewind to 2012. As newlyweds, Michelle and her husband were settling in to married life. Despite experiencing inconsistent abdominal cramps for months, Michelle brushed it off as irritable bowel syndrome or constipation. However, her abdominal cramps didn’t go away after a year but worsened. After googling her symptoms, she realised they all pointed directly at colorectal cancer. Fear kept her silent for a while more until one day when her cramps became so excruciating she needed help to get out of the toilet. She knew then that she had to face up.

A quick colonoscopy confirmed here suspicions. Michelle was diagnosed with stage 3 colorectal cancer. She quickly underwent surgery to remove a tumour that was blocking 70% of her colon and endured a further 6 months (12 sessions) of chemotherapy. Michelle bit the bullet and kicked cancer’s ass! She picked up her life from where she had left it.

But this period was short-lived. Michelle’s cancer metastasised and she was re-diagnosed with cancer in December 2014. Back in Singapore, she was treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy and underwent surgery to remove the affected areas of her abdomen and pelvis. This surgery also resulted in a stoma, an opening through her abdominal wall in her lower small intestine.

Despite her fears, Michelle is coping well with living an active life with a stoma bag. She credits her support network for her positivity, “My family has been the best and my friends have been fabulous. There are days where I tell them that I am thoroughly fed up with this disease. 'Fight on' they say. That's just what I'm doing today.”

We stand in solidarity with Michelle as she continues her post-surgery chemotherapy regime. With her recent brushes with colorectal cancer, she urges, “pay attention to the signs your body is giving you and get screened if something doesn’t feel right. Face up to it and get it checked.”

For Singaporeans and PRs above 50, FIT kits are available, without charge, at Guardian and Unity stores islandwide. Take this test once a year to detect blood in your stool, which may be a sign of colorectal cancer. 

In memory of

Michelle D'Cruz

1985 - 3 December 2016