Told he was 'too young' to have cancer, Rory died a year later

Rory Esler died from bowel cancer at the age of 35, a tragic outcome that followed a year of his symptoms being dismissed by medical professionals who cited his age as a reason he could not have the disease.

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Rory was told he was too young to have cancer and that he looked fit and healthy.

His partner, Olivia Magnay-Shaw, has taken up running to cope with her grief and to raise awareness about the dangers of age bias in cancer diagnosis. Rory first experienced severe symptoms, including high fevers, cramping, and blood in his stool. Despite repeated concerns raised by both Rory and Olivia, doctors suggested it was likely irritable bowel syndrome and advised a strict diet.

Even when Rory sought emergency care, his concerns about bowel cancer were met with disbelief and laughter from nurses. He persisted in requesting a scan for peace of mind, which ultimately led to his diagnosis of stage 3 bowel cancer in June 2024. By then, a 5cm tumor had been found in his colon, a discovery made too late for effective treatment.

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He just was not getting better so he took himself to emergency and, even when we got to the hospital, we said to the nurses, 'We think he could have bowel cancer.' And they just laughed at us.

Julien Wiggins, CEO of Bowel Cancer Australia, confirmed that such dismissals are common for younger patients. He noted that while bowel cancer cases in individuals under 50 are rising, age bias often leads to symptoms being overlooked or misdiagnosed. This delay results in the disease being diagnosed at a more advanced stage, significantly reducing treatment success and patient outcomes.

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Rory ended up getting a scan and they found a 5cm tumour in his colon. Unfortunately, we found it too late.

Olivia will participate in the Gold Coast half marathon alongside Rory's family and friends. She urges young Australians to trust their bodies, advocate for themselves, and seek medical attention seriously, refusing to let age be a barrier to a potential cancer diagnosis. The event is expected to draw a record number of participants.

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Unfortunately, we hear this a lot. Because people think it is less common than those over the age of 50, they tend to dismiss symptoms, or they misdiagnose them, and therefore we have a more advanced disease by the time it is diagnosed, which is harder to treat, and we know the outcomes are poorer.