Prior to my diagnosis, I had been looking after two of our grandchildren while their Mum was having a new baby. Initially I thought I had caught gastro off the kids, but after a couple of weeks I still had the gastro. My GP thought I may have had diverticulitis, so she sent me for tests. Luckily, she did.

I was diagnosed with bowel cancer in February 2017, after which I had surgery and chemotherapy.

I had my 70th birthday in May 2018 and my family organised a surprise party for me.

We thought we got all the cancer, but then in September 2018 it came back.

More surgery followed, including a colostomy bag, and two more rounds of chemo. I had my last treatment in August 2019.

Being a retired Nurse I took most things in my stride. Even the colostomy hasn’t really bothered me too much. The one thing that bothers me is that we haven’t been able to spend as much time with the three youngest grandchildren.

My cancer was Stage 4. I still have some very small nodes in the lymph glands in my abdomen. But I am so lucky, feeling quite well and have a wonderful family.