Martin L’s story

In 2023, while on holiday, I experienced transient blood in my stool. At the time, I was balancing the demands of a senior corporate leadership role with the responsibilities of raising two small boys. Upon my return, I consulted my GP, who initially suspected haemorrhoids but referred me for a colonoscopy as a precaution. Because I did not feel a personal connection with the first specialist I saw, I chose not to proceed with the procedure, prioritizing my busy professional and family life instead.

It was only a year later, during a follow-up appointment, that my GP discovered I had never followed through with the screening. He urged me to get checked regardless of whether I felt symptomatic, leading me to finally book the appointment with a new specialist. Following the colonoscopy, the specialist informed me that a small polyp had been removed and sent to pathology. A few days later, while arriving at work and expecting to quickly clear the matter from my schedule, I called the clinic for the results. The specialist confirmed the polyp was cancerous, a diagnosis that immediately upended my world.

The subsequent treatment involved a robotic lower anterior resection to remove the cancerous site, surrounding tissue, and lymph nodes. To facilitate the internal healing process, I woke from surgery with a temporary stoma. While the final pathology results were a relief – confirming Stage 1 cancer with no spread to the lymph nodes – the physical and emotional reality of living with the stoma was incredibly difficult. I often felt I couldn’t complain given the more advanced cases others face, yet the recovery remained a significant burden to navigate.

Now, 12 months later, my life is almost back on track. I hold a deep admiration for my entire care team, including my GP, the surgical specialists, and the hospital and stoma nurses who guided my recovery.

I share this experience because, as a young father and executive, I never believed this could happen to me. My story serves as a factual reminder that you are never too young to face this diagnosis; if you experience any symptoms, take the time to get them checked immediately.

My one piece of advice:

Don’t neglect any symptoms, no matter how minor or transient.

The colonoscopy, whilst a scary thought to anyone who hasn’t done it, is a harmless experience.

Even early-stage cancers have significant impact. It doesn’t need to be a ‘competition’, every journey is unique and comes with challenges.

There are great support networks available to help educate and council you through it.