‘I WAS TOO EMBARRASSED TO GO TO THE GP SOONER’

ACCOUNTANT PIPPA WOODWARD-SMITH, 38, FROM SOUTHAMPTON, WAS JUST 33 WHEN SHE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH STAGE 3 BOWEL CANCER

‘IT’S BETTER TO FACE YOUR SYMPTOMS’

I’d had the symptoms of bowel cancer for 15 months before I told anyone. I had blood in my poo and definite changes in my bowel habits. That’s not the kind of thing you want to share with anyone.

I didn’t like the idea of what might be involved if I went to my GP. The whole business was all too embarrassing.

The symptoms didn’t go away, then I began to get loose stools. Even then I buried my head in the sand. I thought that if it was something serious, I’d know.

When I finally did go to my GP, the scariest thing was discussing my symptoms. But seeing a bare bottom is totally normal to a doctor.

I had a colonoscopy on 24 July, 2014, and the tumour came up on the screen straight away. It was a shock. There was no family history of the disease. Even the consultant seemed upset – he’d never seen such a tumour in someone so young.

I had four rounds of chemotherapy then five weeks of chemoradiotherapy, which sent me into an early menopause.

We discussed freezing some eggs so I’d be able to have children later on, but I just wanted to get on with it.

There were no cancer cells left when they came to remove the tumour. I had two operations – one in February 2015 to remove the section of bowel that contained the tumour and carry out an ileostomy, where the bowel is diverted to an opening on the abdomen, and a second in April 2015 to reconnect my bowel.

At first I worried that the cancer could come back. But now I’m looking forward to passing the “five years clear of cancer” test in February 2020.

Early diagnosis makes a huge difference to your chances of survival. It’s always better to face up to your symptoms, however embarrassing they might be.

I’d encourage anyone who has the symptoms of bowel cancer to go to the doctor. Letting embarrassment get in the way can be a killer.