Bowel cancer survivor aims to craft a flexible prehabilitation program
Photo: Jodie Collins
A survivor of bowel cancer is pursuing the development of a customizable prehabilitation regimen designed to boost quality of life and improve treatment outcomes for others facing the disease.
Jodie Collins, diagnosed with advanced bowel cancer in 2020 at age 44, notes that prolonged delays in diagnosis and treatment often leave patients feeling anxious and powerless.
“When cancer is detected, the situation can feel terrifying and out of your control, because you’re waiting on tests, on specialists, on the next steps. But exercise, proper nutrition, and similar factors are areas where you can exert some control.”
Collins holds a master’s degree in sport and exercise science, with research focused on increasing muscle mass in “pre-frail” older adults, and has a background in community education. She also serves as deputy chair of the Australasian Gastrointestinal Trials Group advisory panel, which aims to make cancer research more accessible and patient-friendly.
“One major gap I found during my own journey was not only in research but also in the services available in the prehabilitation space in Aotearoa (New Zealand).”
With a Cancer Society scholarship, Collins will begin her PhD at the University of Auckland next year. Her plan is to collaborate closely with patients, their families, and healthcare providers to design a program tailored to individual needs—supporting exercise, nutritious eating, and mental well-being so patients feel stronger and recover more effectively from surgery and treatment.
“It’s about creating a wrap-around service that gives patients more sense of control and hope as they move forward with their next steps.”
Her motivation to study this topic runs in the family. Even before her own diagnosis, she was affected by colorectal cancer in her father and uncle. Her uncle was diagnosed in his 30s and successfully treated, while her father, in his 70s, had only eight months from diagnosis. This family history prompted her to consult her GP when she began experiencing nonspecific symptoms. A colonoscopy revealed a large bowel mass and cancer that had spread to lymph nodes. The cancer also appeared in her lung twice, eventually requiring surgery.
Her most recent scan was clear—the first in five years—which she finds tremendously encouraging. This progress has given her the mental space to embark on a substantial research project. “I can now ask, ‘What’s next?’ Earlier, I didn’t want to start something because I wasn’t sure I could follow through. It may sound macabre, but that was my thought process.”
Residing in Taupiri, a rural area in Waikato, Collins has long been drawn to underserved communities, including rural populations. Her aim is to create a solution that works for people wherever they are.
Cancer Society funding underscores a broad commitment to cancer research. Over the past decade, the Society’s National Research Grants Programme has invested more than NZ$50 million in research. The 2025 round allocates over NZ$1 million to fund post-doctoral fellowships, two project grants, and Collins’ PhD scholarship.
Cancer Society Director of Research and Innovation Christelle Jolly described the fund as a cornerstone of supporting the cancer research workforce. She noted that post-doctoral fellowships help researchers advance their careers and drive progress across diverse fields, and expressed optimism that the new funding will maintain this momentum.
Other notable recipients include Dr. Judy Ann Cocadiz of the University of Otago, who received a post-doctoral fellowship to develop a small device capable of capturing tiny DNA fragments in the bloodstream for cancer detection. Dr. Yue Wang from the University of Auckland was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship to investigate whether blocking growth hormone could enhance the effectiveness of melanoma treatments. Associate Professor Stephen Jamieson of the University of Auckland received a grant to develop new therapies targeting melanomas associated with NRAS gene mutations, found in up to 20 percent of melanomas. Dr. Andrea Teng, a public health physician and senior research fellow at the University of Otago, Wellington, and her team will study the efficiency of screen-and-treat approaches for Helicobacter pylori infection, linked to about 90 percent of stomach cancer cases.
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