Clinton woman Briar Dawson, 24, said she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer in March after receiving a colonoscopy because doctors suspected she had Crohn’s disease — an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that irritates and causes swelling in your digestive tract.
To her doctor’s surprise they found a 15cm tumour in her colon that had metastasised to her lymphnodes, liver and lungs.
Ms Dawson was shocked when the doctor told her she had the incurable disease.
"It was quite a big shock especially because of my age," she said.
"Bowel cancer or colon cancer seems to be more of an older person thing but it seems to be getting a bit more popular in younger people now."
Her mother had also been diagnosed with breast cancer in November last year.
However, hers was not as aggressive.
She had surgery and was considered cancer free in January this year.
Ms Dawson’s oncologist told her she only had about two and a half years to live.
She said making memories with her 3-year-old daughter had gone up to the top of her priorities list.
Ms Dawson said her mental health had declined a lot since the diagnosis.
She struggled a lot with anxiety and her treatment was pretty full on.
Between weekly appointments for chemotherapy in Dunedin Hospital she was trying to spend as much time with her daughter as possible.
She wanted to make as many memories with her daughter as possible before she dies.
They had recently gone to visit the zoo in Christchurch and gone bowling this weekend.
"I’ve taken her on trips that we can take lots of photos on and enjoy the time together."
Ms Dawson’s sister Amy Seymour had made a Givealittle page to help raise funds to support with her chemotherapy and help ease financial burdens ahead for her daughter.
