On 14 December 2020, at the age of 52, I was diagnosed with stage three colorectal (bowel) cancer, during the height of the Covid pandemic. After undergoing treatment which included combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy, low anterior resection surgery and a further twelve-week course of chemo, I’m now thankfully in remission. I had a stoma (colostomy) for a year after surgery and this was reversed in June 2022. I owe my life to my medical team, to the NHS, my loved ones and friends who supported me. Without them all I would not be here to share my story with you!
At the time of my diagnosis, I was studying for an MA in Filmmaking. After deferring for eight months, I resumed my studies, while still going through my post-surgery chemo, and I’m happy to say I graduated in 2023 and was awarded a Distinction.
I made a short documentary, Under This Sky which looks at my own experience with bowel cancer from an emotional and psychological point of view and takes the viewer on a journey of discovery, exploring ways we can heal from trauma, using exercise and movement and creative work. Shortly after my treatments finished, I began working on songs for a charity album, Stardust. I made a video for the single, Storm lifted from the album. All proceeds from downloads and streams go to The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.
Knowing the symptoms of bowel cancer and finding bowel cancer early can lead to a better survival outcome.
If you feel there is something wrong and your bowel habits have changed, talk to your doctor and DO NOT put this off, as I did for over a year! Sometimes the earlier symptoms can be subtle and I was certainly not aware of just how seriously ill I was before my diagnosis. Please visit my blog for more in-depth information about my symptoms and why it’s vital to get checked if your bowel habits have changed.
The symptoms of bowel cancer can include:
