Tony H’s story

I had no symptoms and was fit and well when I asked my GP about getting tested.

A friend had told me about his regular testing due to both sides of his family having a history of bowel cancer. It occurred to me that I had it on both sides as well, with my mother’s father who died from it and my father who had a low level and died of age-related illness.

My GP gave me three test jars to do the faecal blood test. When the results came back with three positives, he said it could be something like haemorrhoids but ordered a colonoscopy.

I checked in for the colonoscopy and was asked by the specialist why I was having it considering I was so young. By his calculations, based on my family history I was 20 years too early.

When I came out of the anaesthetic, he asked me why I had come in and said that it was a good decision as he had found a malignant carcinoma at 15cm but I wouldn’t need a bag.

He then left and my wife picked me up. She asked how I went, and I told her that I had another appointment tomorrow as he had found something.

Cancer wasn’t mentioned but my wife google searched and found what it was the big C.

The following day I saw the specialist and he recommended I organise to see a surgeon ASAP and that it was time critical. I did so and was operated on two days later.

The operation removed the tumour and a large part of my bowel and some lymph nodes for pathology. I was told the cancer had spread to my lymph nodes and that I had Stage 3 bowel cancer.

It was then that an oncologist arrived to explain the benefits of chemotherapy in improving my outlook of survival. I had 6 months of intensive chemo. I was told a few months ago after my routine colonoscopy that I could say I had beaten cancer after surviving for the last 13 years.

I am very grateful to my GP for recommending the test that found my cancer when I was only 44.

The poster in the oncologist’s waiting room which recommended getting tested for bowel cancer after 50 doesn’t hang there anymore.

My one piece of advice:

Listen to your body and do the kit test from 30 years of age. It didn’t cost much and could save your life.