Rachel S’ story

Let’s start this with I had no symptoms…. I have no family history, I am healthy, I rarely drink alcohol, I don’t smoke and I’m not in the age bracket.

Early September 2025 I was at work and hadn’t eaten but late afternoon, I ate my lunch quickly and washed it down with a small soft drink. This was the start of my journey. A grumbling stomach made me think I scoffed my lunch too fast.

With a background of being a nurse, for a week I self-medicated and tried old wife’s tales to help with what I thought was a build of gas. A loud grumbling stomach was still the only symptom. I finally saw my GP who agreed that she thought it was food related as I had bowel sounds, no vomiting or diarrhoea.

A few days later, after a bout of vomiting, I went back to the GP who sent me for bloods and a CT scan which occurred on the same day (someone above was looking out for me).

45 mins post CT scan I was recalled to the GPs office and asked to bring my husband along, knowing this wasn’t going to be good news.

I was told I had a bowel obstruction / mass, a mass on an ovary and a shadow on my lung, and to pack a bag, head to hospital and get an urgent PET scan.

20 days later I was discharged following a left sided hemicolectomy, an ileostomy, the removal
of an ovary, removal of bilateral fallopian tubes, and a diagnosis of Stage 3 bowel cancer.

I am currently halfway through my chemotherapy treatment.

And remember no prior symptoms.

My one piece of advice:

Please, if something does not feel right, push and advocate for yourself to get checked and get answers. Bowel cancer does not discriminate.