SURGERY was the "easy bit" for Asher Yovich.
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The 40-year-old has admitted he was probably partly in disbelief, maybe partly the builder in him thinking repair work was done.
Cut through his belly, surgeons removed a tumour and 26 lymph nodes of which one tested positive for secondary cancer.
It was straight into chemotherapy for the father-of-two, facing a disease that most people feel uncomfortable talking about: bowel cancer.
Now, Asher is determined to get more younger people talking about it as the rate of younger-onset bowel cancer is on a fast rise.
One in 10 Australians are diagnosed with bowel cancer under the age of 50. This is a global trend that has prompted countries like the United States to lower the national recommended screening age to 45 years.
Such a benchmark still does not take in Asher, nor Australians aged 25 to 34 for which bowel cancer is the deadliest cancer of this age group.
Bowel Cancer Australia data also shows people born in 1990 onwards have double the risk of colon cancer and quadruple the risk of rectal cancer compared with people born in 1950.
Often there is misdiagnosis in younger people, such as with stomach ache symptoms.
"You don't think about it when you don't have it or you're not exposed to it," Asher said. "As a builder you tend to deal with fixing things with a Stanley knife, a smoko and Selleys No More Gaps.
"When I ask builders whether they've done the test they usually say, 'I got one last year'. I want to make a conscientious effort to bang heads together and get people taking this seriously."
Diagnosis hit Asher "like a ton of bricks", mostly because he said everyone knew someone who had struggled with cancer. Surgery earlier this year went well, better than Asher had expected because he was not left needing a colostomy bag - which at the least would have created extra issues wearing a tool belt.
Asher adopted a positive attitude but said the ups and downs of chemotherapy have started to ram home the reality to him.
He is four months into a six-month chemotherapy stint that has put him in hospital with internal bleeding, had him break out in shingles, and delivered a feeling "50 times worse" that a serious hangover. There are also the tingling nerves, general achiness and inability to focus.
While Asher considered his father's experience with cancer invaluable, he appreciates the insight and support of Grampians Health's new bowel cancer nurse specialist Jaymee Goldsmith.
Ms Goldsmith has personal experience with bowel cancer but told The Courier she was largely drawn to the role through her extensive nursing experience in the intensive care unit and working with the Royal College of Surgeons.
She said Australia was lagging behind when it came to bowel cancer and it was particularly on the rise among young people.
Funding for Ms Goldsmith's position was made through Bowel Cancer Australia with support from the Dry July Foundation - a campaign which kicks off again this weekend.
Like the well-known breast care nurses, her role is to support bowel cancer patients navigate their journey as best she can, including advocacy and extra resources.
"Anyone going through cancer treatment needs someone like Jaymee, even just to tell you it's okay if you feel a certain way or what you feel is perfectly normal," Asher said. "She chases up stuff with surgeons and gets back to you straight away...She's always popping in and making sure you're all right."
Asher started to realise something was amiss with his health last October when he noticed a little blood in his stools. He thought it was his diet.
The bleeding progressively got worse and persistent. That was when Asher went to his doctor, who sent him straight for a colonoscopy.
Other symptoms can be obvious changes in bowel habits, unexplained weight loss, extreme tiredness and a lump or swelling in the abdomen.
Asher knows he still has a tough journey ahead.
Lots of hugs from his wife and children help.
Asher shares his story in a bid to promote early prevention. In 99 per cent of cases bowel cancer can be successfully treated if found early. Fewer than half the cases of bowel cancer are found early.
He wanted people - especially tradies - to be vigilant about testing and talking about symptoms. Details: bowelcanceraustralia.org.
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