Diane B’s story

I was first diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1997 at age 47 and underwent a colon resection. This was followed by regular two-yearly colonoscopies.

Late last year (at age 71) I experienced pain at night and thankfully my GP sent me for a CT scan and ultrasound. I was found to have bowel cancer again (on the opposite side).

Christmas was spent in hospital having another (urgent) resection, only to be told the cancer had spread to my liver aggressively. I am now undertaking six months of chemo and am unsure of the outcome!

I have to query whether faecal bowel screening would have picked up this latter cancer, as my regular colonoscopy certainly missed it. My last two-monthly colonoscopy was in July 2019!

Perhaps it is time for everyone to undertake the ‘home test’. Might I add that I have always been active and fit; playing my last netball game at age 59, and thereafter playing golf at least three times weekly.