In 2024, Danni Duncan was the picture of health. As a busy Queensland mum of three and a successful nutrition and fitness coach specialising in women’s health, she spent her days helping others thrive. But while pregnant with her fourth child, something sinister was quietly growing alongside her baby.
At just 39 years old, Danni was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
For years, Danni had experienced irregular bowel movements, alternating between constipation and diarrhoea. Having been diagnosed with IBS years prior, she assumed it was just a normal part of her life.
During her pregnancy, her iron levels plummeted, and her profound fatigue was easily dismissed as standard postpartum exhaustion.
The diagnosis that changed everything
When Danni almost collapsed in her kitchen 12 weeks after giving birth, her husband insisted she see a GP. Tests revealed she was severely anaemic. On 15 May 2025, a colonoscopy uncovered a 2.7cm malignant tumour.
“I woke up and the doctor said, ‘I’m so sorry Danni… You’ve got a malignant tumour in your bowel. You have bowel cancer’,” Danni recalls. “I was completely blindsided. I thought I would be diagnosed with coeliac disease or an ulcer.”
Danni’s reality shifted instantly. She underwent surgery to remove 25cm of her bowel and endured three months of gruelling chemotherapy. The hardest part, she says, was being forced to stop breastfeeding her nine-month-old baby girl, London.
Turning pain into purpose
Danni’s story is a powerful reminder that bowel cancer is not just an older person’s disease. In Australia, the risk of being diagnosed before the age of 40 has more than doubled since the year 2000, and a staggering 1 in 8 Australians diagnosed are under the age of 50.
Now, in 2026, Danni has been declared cancer-free. To mark 12 months of being clear of the disease, she is currently training to run the New York City Marathon this November to raise funds as an Ambassador for the Jodi Lee Foundation. She also uses her platform and her app, FIT by Danni Duncan, to urge others to listen to their bodies.
“What you feed yourself and your life choices now will impact your outcome,” Danni says.
Fueling the next generation
As a qualified nutritionist, Danni knows that setting up healthy habits starts in childhood. Packing a nutrient-dense lunchbox is one of the easiest ways parents can support their children’s long-term wellbeing, gut health, and energy levels.
To help you skip the processed packets and fill your kids’ day with vitamins, minerals, and whole foods, Danni has shared a favourite, kid-approved healthy lunchbox recipe below.
Chickpea & White Choc Protein Blondie
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cooking Time: 25 mins
- Servings: 8
- Nutritional Information (Per Serving): Calories: 221 | Protein: 11.5g | Carbohydrates: 22.5g | Fat: 9.6g
Ingredients:
- 400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 100ml maple syrup
- 85g peanut butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 60g vanilla protein powder
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp bi-carb soda
- 1/3 cup white chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp peanuts, roughly chopped
Method:
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
- Process the batter: Combine all ingredients in a food processor, except for the chocolate chips and peanuts. Process until the mixture is nice and smooth.
- Mix in chocolate: Add half the chocolate chips and mix with a spoon to combine roughly. Transfer the mixture to a lined baking tin.
- Add toppings: Press the rest of the chocolate chips and peanuts into the top.
- Bake: Bake for 25 minutes or until nice and golden.
- Cool and slice: Cool in the tin for about 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack, and slice once cooled.
See this recipe and more at www.danniduncan.com.au
Read More
Healthy breakfast recipes to boost little brains
How a 5-day pantry kit turned my energy around
