Brunoli told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) in October 2025.
“I was getting a lot of hectic stomach pain.”
According to Brunoli, his concerns were initially dismissed, with doctors suggesting he was dealing with a virus that would eventually disappear.
“It’s a virus – Don’t worry, it’ll go away in a couple of weeks,”
he recalled being told.
But Brunoli felt strongly that something more serious was happening and continued pushing for additional testing.
“I thought, ‘screw this, like I genuinely feel f***ed’, and I knew there was something wrong with me,”
he said, adding that he was told he “was being pushy.”
When doctors eventually discovered colorectal cancer, Brunoli said the disease had already “aggressively spread to his entire liver and lymph nodes.”
His first reaction reflected the disbelief many younger cancer patients experience.
“That’s ridiculous, I’m too young.”
Initially, Brunoli considered keeping the diagnosis private and telling only a small number of close friends. However, his Bugs bandmates Brock Weston and Connor Brooker encouraged him to speak publicly about what he was facing.
Over the following year, Brunoli underwent chemotherapy and other treatments while hoping doctors could bring the cancer under control. Living with an advanced diagnosis also meant confronting uncertainty every day.
“I’m constantly thinking tomorrow might be the day when my liver just gives up and I get jaundiced and drop dead. It could happen at any time, which is terrifying.”
Brunoli’s battle has also brought renewed attention to colorectal cancer, the disease that affected actor James Van Der Beek.
Colorectal cancer, commonly called bowel cancer, develops in the colon or rectum. According to the World Health Organization, it is the third most common cancer worldwide and represents roughly 10% of all cancer cases.
WHO estimates indicate that approximately 1.9 million new colorectal cancer cases were diagnosed globally in 2022, while more than 900,000 people died from the disease. That makes it the world’s second-leading cause of cancer-related death. Incidence rates are particularly high in regions including Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
For Brunoli, however, the statistics have become painfully personal.
After more than a year of treatment, he recently revealed that the therapies had failed to stop the cancer from progressing.
“I have spent over a year now trying different chemotherapy drugs, backed by an amazing oncologist and treatment team,”
he wrote in an August 15 update shared with fans on Facebook.
Brunoli explained that his cancer carries a mutation associated with rapid tumor growth.
“Unfortunately, I have a mutation that causes rapid growth of tumours, and none of the treatments have been able to stop the cancer from spreading.”
Then came the devastating update.
“I am now entering the final chapter of my life after being told in June I had a prognosis of 3-4 months.”
Yet throughout surgeries, chemotherapy and the physical consequences of treatment, Brunoli continued doing something that had always been central to his life: making music.
Bugs’ upcoming album, Head Noise, has become especially meaningful because much of it was created while Brunoli was undergoing treatment.
“Head Noise means so much to me. I can’t wait for you to hear the whole album.”
The band worked on the record for approximately two years, continuing through some extraordinarily difficult periods.
“We’ve worked on it for the last two years, through the good and the bad. We kept recording when I was recovering from surgery, sick from chemo, even when I had neuropathy so bad I couldn’t feel the guitar I was playing.”
The album is scheduled for release on August 28, allowing Brunoli to see a project that accompanied him through one of the hardest periods of his life finally reach listeners.
He also thanked Connor, Brock and the wider Bugs team for supporting his desire to finish the album and continue performing for as long as possible.
For Brunoli, music appears to remain far more important than allowing his diagnosis to define his remaining time.
“My focus has always been on enjoying the music and sharing it with others.”
Looking back at his experiences with Bugs, he described performing, recording and touring throughout Australia as “the opportunity of a lifetime.”
And despite being given a prognosis measured in months, Brunoli made it clear that he still intends to get back onstage whenever his health allows.
“I just want to say, if there were a few final shows coming up, you can bet your a** I’ll be playing them.”
Bugs has announced performances at Brisbane’s Crowbar on September 10 and September 12, marking the band’s first live appearances in almost a year.
Those concerts, along with the release of Head Noise, are likely to carry extraordinary significance for Brunoli, his bandmates and the fans who have followed their journey.
But Brunoli’s final message wasn’t focused on fear, treatment or even the prognosis doctors had given him.
Instead, the 30-year-old musician ended his update with gratitude — and a determination to make whatever time remains meaningful.
“Thank you everyone.”
Then came a final promise:
“And watch me enjoy the f* out of the rest of my life.”
Jordan Brunoli’s courage and determination to continue creating music while facing an unimaginable diagnosis have deeply moved fans. As he prepares for the release of Head Noise and hopes to return to the stage, supporters are sending him, his family, friends and bandmates their love and best wishes.