Lucie Morris-Marr, an investigative journalist and author of Processed, received a shocking stage-four bowel cancer diagnosis just as she felt she was in peak health. At the time, her book had just launched, and she was enjoying a successful career, making the diagnosis even more devastating.

“I was flying high… and then all of it got cancelled. I felt like my identity had been cancelled,” she shared in an interview with Nine to Noon.

While undergoing treatment, Lucie began researching bowel cancer and was alarmed to learn that the World Health Organization (WHO) links processed meats to the disease, classifying them in the same carcinogenic category as tobacco and alcohol.

Though Lucie didn’t consider herself a big meat eater, she began to reflect on her diet and realized processed meats were present in her life—prosciutto, sausages, bacon, and pepperoni pizza. “It was in my diet,” she admitted, acknowledging that while she doesn’t claim processed meat caused her cancer, it’s “one of the suspects.”

Lucie expressed anger and frustration: “Where were the warning labels? Where were the health campaigns?”

WHO states that consuming just 50 grams of processed meat daily can increase bowel cancer risk by 18%. The danger lies in the nitrates and nitrites used during processing, which can become harmful when cooked or digested.

Now, Lucie is urging others to reconsider their eating habits. “Even your favorite sandwich can have a lasting effect on your health,” she warns, hoping her story encourages awareness and prevention.