When Krystal Maeyke began to experience sharp stabbing pains in her stomach, she initially dismissed them as a food allergy. For three long months, she tried to ignore the increasingly uncomfortable sensations in her lower abdomen. As the pain escalated from a mild pinch to an agonizing level that brought her to her knees, the mother-of-one—only 37 at the time—was unaware that she was grappling with late-stage bowel cancer. The pain she felt was her body struggling under the weight of a growing network of deadly tumors.
Krystal explained, "At first, I thought I would get checked for food intolerances. I was fit and healthy, exercising daily and eating a wholesome, balanced diet." Despite testing negative for gluten intolerance, the pain persisted. "Some days I would be in agony and have to keep a heat pack on it," she said, highlighting how she initially overlooked the severity of her symptoms.
Ultimately, her pain reached a breaking point. On May 30, 2023, she was airlifted from her remote home in Yulara, a town in the Northern Territory of Australia, to the nearest hospital, located 280 miles (450 km) away. During the flight, she was administered morphine, which provided no relief, followed by the potent painkiller Fentanyl, which finally began to alleviate her severe pain.
Upon arrival at Alice Springs Hospital, Krystal underwent a series of tests that ultimately led to the life-altering news: she had cancer. "I was woken up later that night by a doctor whose words I will never forget: 'Krystal, I've got bad news…. You have cancer,'" she recounted. The weight of that diagnosis, along with the doctor’s chilling response, "It's everywhere," shook her to her core.
Ms. Maeyke was diagnosed with stage four terminal metastatic bowel cancer, indicating that the initial cancer from her bowel had spread to other organs. She believes the stabbing pains she experienced were indicative of cancerous growths taking over her body. "I thought it wasn’t anything sinister," she admitted. "That’s why it became advanced cancer and spread all through my abdomen, liver, ovaries, and starting from my bowel." She vividly described the sensation of feeling the tumor as it spread, ultimately leading to her diagnosis.
In the three months leading up to her airlift to the hospital, Krystal, who was previously fit and healthy with no family history of cancer, experienced additional symptoms that can signal cancer. "I started to feel tired all day, every day, but I thought I was just a busy mum," she shared. Other symptoms included irregular bowel movements, which she attributed to IBS, and persistent night sweats, which she dismissed as a response to summer heat.
Krystal emphasized the importance of taking night sweats seriously, especially when they are extreme and ongoing. "Looking back now, I was experiencing persistent night sweats a few months before I was diagnosed," she said. "I would wake up drenched in sweat, enough to change clothes and sheets." She noted that although the relationship between night sweats and cancer is not fully understood, researchers believe multiple factors may be involved, including hormonal changes and the body’s fight against cancer.
Now 39, Krystal has been bravely sharing her ongoing battle against cancer on TikTok, where she informs her 50,000 followers about common and lesser-known signs of cancer, as well as the steps her doctors are taking to extend her life. She has also candidly discussed her primary concern: the welfare and future of her 12-year-old son, Maison. In a GoFundMe campaign aimed at creating a financial cushion for her family during her illness, she wrote about the emotional toll her diagnosis has taken on both her and her son.
Recent global studies show that rates of bowel cancer in individuals under 50 are rising in 27 of 50 nations. In England, there is an average increase of 3.6 percent in younger adults each year, marking one of the highest increases recorded, while the United States sees a roughly 2 percent rise among young people. Experts note that while obesity is linked to bowel cancer, cases are increasingly found in otherwise fit and healthy individuals. The explanation may lie in environmental factors, such as exposure to plastics and pollution, that younger generations face.
Signs of bowel cancer include abdominal pain, a lump in the abdomen, bloating, fatigue, and shortness of breath. Symptoms such as bleeding from the back passage or blood in the stool occur when tumors bleed into the digestive tract. Unfortunately, bowel cancer can also present with no symptoms until it has metastasized, making treatment more challenging. Overall, just over half of bowel cancer patients are expected to survive for 10 years post-diagnosis.
A landmark study by Cancer Research UK analyzed 50 years of NHS data and found that the risk of developing cancer has sharply increased, particularly among young people. Diagnoses have risen by up to 23 percent in those aged 20 to 49. Researchers are still investigating the factors behind this rise in early-onset cancers, pointing to potential culprits such as modern diets and exposure to microplastics.
Krystal Maeyke's story serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of recognizing the signs of bowl cancer and seeking medical advice promptly. Her brave journey not only highlights the personal struggles of battling cancer but also emphasizes the urgent need for increased awareness and research into this devastating disease.
