Mohannad’s story

I’m sharing my story in the hope that it raises awareness about bowel cancer and the importance of advocating for your health. I’m 32 years old, very health-conscious, and live an active lifestyle. I exercise five days a week, don’t smoke, and don’t drink alcohol. I also run a successful barber business, which has provided me with a good income and allowed me to enjoy regular holidays.

In August 2023, I started experiencing mild pain when emptying my bowels. At first, I didn’t think much of it, but as the pain gradually worsened, I decided to see my GP in October. After an ultrasound and blood tests came back normal, my GP reassured me that everything seemed fine, though I still had concerns due to persistent pain and increasing fatigue at work. The GP advised me to come back if my symptoms didn’t improve within a month.

By early January, my symptoms had worsened. I was experiencing constipation, extreme fatigue, changes in my bowel habits, and a loss of appetite. Seeking a second opinion, I went to another GP, who prescribed a powder to help with constipation, advising I continue using it for three months.

In early February, the pain became unbearable, and I decided to go to the emergency department. There, I had a CT scan, which revealed a 15 cm tumor in my bowel. I was referred to a gastro specialist, who told me it could be serious, and that I needed a colonoscopy. After spending the night at the hospital, I was discharged with antibiotics and a note that said there were no red flags for cancer. This gave me a brief sense of relief.

However, when the antibiotics didn’t help, I went back to my GP to request a referral to a specialist. At the end of March, I had a colonoscopy, where I received the shocking diagnosis: Stage 2 bowel cancer. Three weeks later, I underwent surgery, but when I woke up, I was told they couldn’t complete the operation because the cancer had spread to Stage 4 and required a different surgery. Four weeks later, I had the second surgery.

Since then, I have been undergoing chemotherapy and have completed 10 cycles. The side effects have been tough—especially a severe facial rash that leaves my skin dry, bleeding, and has affected my sleep.

Looking back, I believe that the delays in diagnosis and treatment happened due to negligence on the part of the doctors. Had a CT scan been done earlier, or if the emergency department had performed the colonoscopy sooner, the damage could have been minimized, and my life could have taken a very different path.

My one piece of advice: Please do not ignore any pain in the body even if it’s light pain. Always seek a second opinion if you don’t get the cause of the pain.