The Tarrangower Times caught up with Maldon Fire Brigade Captain Sean McCubbin last week, with the intention of talking about his recent cancer diagnosis and ongoing treatment.

In the end, the interview ranged far and wide. Sean speaks his mind, is passionate about many issues, knows Maldon like the back of his hand and has a bunch of entertaining stories. All of which made for an interesting conversation.

But back to the main topic. Six months ago, Sean felt a little dizzy in the morning and thought nothing of it. After a day at work, he came home and collapsed. “The next thing I knew I was being treated by the Maldon CERT team and Avoca paramedics,” he said, “and got carted off to Bendigo Health.”

After blood tests and a CAT scan, Sean was told he wasn’t going anywhere for a while. Long story short: following more tests, cancer was diagnosed and he was taken into theatre for surgery where part of his bowel was removed.

Over two weeks later, Sean was discharged and began a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, delivered via a port in his chest. He’s not out of the woods yet, with a liver lesion and secondaries in a lymph node. “But tests show that the treatment is working,” Sean said. “I may need surgery on my liver, but let’s wait and see.”

The message that Sean wants to get out to the world: “If you’ve got any symptoms, get checked out straight away. Bowel cancer is one of the commonest cancers, and in the past it has usually been associated with older people,” he said. “But that has changed; I was 45 when I was diagnosed. It has become more common in people aged in their forties, and even younger.”

In the meantime, Sean is back at work on light duties, out at Kaiser Reef’s processing plant at Porcupine Flat. “I was allowed to go back to work at the doctor’s discretion, basically to save my sanity,” he said. “Kaiser has been unbelievably good to me, I can’t thank them enough.”

There have been a few near misses in Sean’s life. He bears the scars from a dog attack – an Alsatian that he regularly walked for a neighbour, but which turned on him one day for no apparent reason.

Then there was the first big fire that he attended, down in Creswick. “It came over the ridge and we were down at the bottom, like sitting ducks. We had a burnover on the truck,” he said. “I was the pump operator, it was a petrol pump and the fuel kept on vaporising. How it didn’t stop working was a miracle. Luckily we had a full tanker of water.”

In later years, there was a suspected brain aneurysm which saw him paralysed down one side and taken to hospital in Melbourne. “I came out of that one alright,” he said.

Then there was the loss of his partner Kathy Gain to cancer, leaving him to raise their young daughter Bonnie.

And if you want further proof that Sean is a tough fella: only a few weeks ago, he took part in the gruelling 28-floor Melbourne Firefighter Stair Climb at the Crown Metropol. Quite an achievement for someone who had recently finished six rounds of treatment on a two-weekly cycle!

Speaking of treatment, Sean has embarked on second round of fortnightly chemotherapy and immunotherapy. When the Times spoke to him, one of the more visible side effects of his treatments were breakouts on his skin. But the good news: he has kept his hair!

Sean has nothing but praise for the medical attention he has received, from the time that the CERT team attended to his current treatment. “CERT, ambos, Dr Fowler, Bendigo Health, the district nurses, specialists, everyone has been amazing,” he said. “This has turned my life upside down, but I’m staying active and positive. I’ve got my family (wife Emma, daughter Bonnie and young sons Patrick and Henry) to think of.”

While Sean gets on with his treatment, he has backed off from his role as Maldon Fire Brigade Captain. Bruce Clements is currently Operational Captain. “I hope to be back in action before the end of summer,” Sean said.

Sean was approached by Bendigo Health to become an ambassador for bowel cancer – to talk about his medical journey online, to encourage others to keep an eye on their health. You can check Sean’s story out at bendigohealth.org.au.

Sean’s final words: “If in doubt, get tested!”

Note:

If caught early, over 90 per cent of bowel cancers can be successfully treated.

As part of the National Bowel Screening Program, people aged 50 to 74 receive a bowel cancer screening kit in the post every two years.

People aged 45 to 49 do not automatically receive a kit. They can obtain one, however, from the Program, by requesting a kit online, calling 1800 627 701 or asking their doctor.

Don’t be squeamish about a poo test – just do it! It could save your life.

This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 4 October 2024.