On and off for years I have had haemorrhoids due to pregnancy and constipation. Odd bits of bleeding here and there but I was never really concerned.

I probably noticed a change in blood, consistency and amount but in my head, I was still putting it down to haemorrhoids or a possible fissure. I was a busy mum of three and not really focusing on it too much.

I finally took myself off to my doctor and got a referral. We went public and I waited a good few months for an appointment.

The appointment was fine, I wasn’t worried and discussed banding haemorrhoids if found. But they wanted me to have a colonoscopy in the coming weeks as I had a history of bowel cancer in my family (grandparents) and the length of time I had been bleeding.

Bowel cancer wasn’t on my radar at all, I was 40, had no pain, I was exercising 6 days a week and living a healthy lifestyle. I would say I was tired, but I had been tired since having kids and was still breast feeding once a night.

On the 15th May I had my colonoscopy and my life changed. Waking up from a lovely sleep my surgeon came over to speak to me, what he said completely floored me. They found a 4cm tumour in my bowel which he was certain was cancer. I sobbed all the way home, replying to messages asking how it all went. I was heartbroken for my family.

After a CT and PET scan it was determined that the cancer hadn’t spread to other organs, but my lymph nodes looked inflamed. Within days I was heading into surgery, I had 30cm of bowel removed and lymph nodes. The lymph nodes turned out to be clear, but a dot of cancer had escaped the bowel wall. I was therefore diagnosed as Stage 3 and would require chemotherapy.

Looking back on chemotherapy now I feel like it’s a blur. I had 12 rounds of FOLFOX over 6 months. I definitely had more good days than bad each fortnight but mentally and physically it was tough. I tried to keep active and would keep my mind busy. I suffer from anxiety, so in some ways that was worse for me than the side effects.

I finished chemo on 11th December 2023, I then had a follow up CT and PET scan, and received good news before Christmas. There was no evidence of reoccurrence or spread. I will have a follow up scan and scope in April, I’m sure my anxiety will hit a new level in the lead up.

I am now just living my life as before, I am back building my fitness, starting to work more and cuddling my children all the tighter.

My job now is to spread awareness. Out of our close friendship group, four of us have been diagnosed with bowel cancer. This is so scary, and people need to be educated in what to look out for.

Although this journey has been tough I have learnt that I have beautiful friends and family, they have gone above and beyond. My parents came from the UK and spent months and months with their grandchildren, this meant the world to me.

My one piece of advice for others:

Accept help where you can and stay active. Even on my bad days I would walk, and this lifted me. If anyone is struggling with anxiety or depression during this time it is so important to seek help via your GP. Please do not suffer in silence.