Jo McKenzie-McLean’s life was turned upside down after a stage 4 bowel cancer diagnosis. In this candid podcast, the mother-of-two and Stuff journalist offers practical, frank - and sometimes darkly funny - insights into life with an incurable illness, in conversation with friend and colleague Colleen O’Hanlon.

Jo discusses the gradual deterioration of her health, her fight for a colonoscopy and the life-changing moment she was told about the tumour in her bowel.

In the aftermath of surgery to remove a tumour “like a big wedge of pizza”, Jo was faced with difficult conversations: what to tell her kids and the choice between public and private healthcare.

Meeting her oncologist for the first time, Jo received two pieces of shocking news: her cancer was incurable and the huge cost of life-extending drugs.

Jo explains how she makes herself comfortable during chemotherapy, busts myths about hair loss and tackles the mental impact of her illness.

Cancer touches many people: Jo discusses the ripple effects on her nearest and dearest, including the impact on intimacy with her partner.

In the final episode, Jo talks about how hard it is to face the future, and vows to fight cancer with "every ounce of my breath".

Jo and Colleen talk to two people who have become key to Jo's wellbeing since her diagnosis - including her oncologist.

Battling cancer was the fight of Jo's life, but on July 25, she died peacefully at home. One of her final requests was to record one last conversation for this podcast.