Bowel cancer survivor (57) thankful she didn't continue to ignore 'wee voice' urging her to get checked

She was diagnosed initially with internal haemorrhoids, but wasn’t convinced that this was the case. So, a few months later, in February 2023, she sought a second opinion and was sent for a colonoscopy – after which, she was told that a tumour had been detected.

According to the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI), around 2,560 people are diagnosed with bowel cancer every year and as April is Bowel Cancer Awareness month, the #NoRegrets awareness campaign from the Marie Keating Foundation is urging people not to regret the fact that they didn’t get symptoms checked out.

While almost 18 out of 20 cases of bowel cancer in Ireland occur in people over 60, a significant number of people are being diagnosed before the screening age of 59.

This is something that Ms Doherty, who lives in Donegal, can attest to. Thankfully, Ms Doherty, who is married to Noel and has three grown-up children and six grandchildren, is proof that the earlier you seek advice, the more chance there is of a positive outcome.

After undergoing surgery in June of last year and initially being in denial about her condition, she is doing well and looking forward to the future.

“I didn’t acknowledge that I had cancer at first, because as far as I was concerned, it was a tumour and now it was gone,” said Ms Doherty.

“That (the realisation) didn’t happen until my six-week check-up when my consultant said that he had harvested 19 lymph nodes, 14 of which tested positive for cancer and I was going to need chemo as clean-up.

“It was the first time that I said out loud that I had cancer as I didn’t look or feel any different.

“I dread to think that if I’d continued to ignore that wee voice, what stage my cancer would be at now. Age shouldn’t be a reason for colorectal cancer symptoms to be dismissed or ignored.”

Brendan Donlon agrees, as he was diagnosed in 2018 when he was 48. He says that having always had a “broad spectrum of bowel habits”, he wasn’t too concerned about a spate of “slow movement”.

But when symptoms changed, he decided to seek medical advice.

“There were two red-flag symptoms for a day or two before I got a complete blockage, which was very painful,” he said. “First, my poops were getting progressively thinner, and secondly, my stomach noises had become so loud that we had to turn up the volume to hear the telly. But I didn’t know that either of these were something I should have checked out sooner.

“A CT scan showed a growth which was causing the blockage. I was sent immediately to theatre so they could remove it and release the pressure on my bowel, which prevented a rupture and saved my life.

“A few days later, while I was still in hospital recovering from the bowel resection, pathology confirmed it was a tumour and that it had spread to a lot of surrounding lymph nodes.”

Following surgery, he underwent 12 rounds of chemotherapy and now, five years later, he is doing well and continues to have yearly check-ups as early detection is vital.

“I want to make people aware that they have to push for their own checks as soon as they turn 45, or if they have recurring changes to their bowel habits,” said Mr Donlon.

“It’s particularly important to raise awareness in men, as the recent figures from NCRI show that men are 50pc more likely to be diagnosed with this cancer.

“I also want to pressure decision-makers in government to lower the public screening age, which is 59 in Ireland, 50 in the UK and 45 in the US.

"And I want people to understand how easy it is to do the FIT test (Faecal Immunochemical Test), and to get a scope if the test shows they need one.”

Bowel cancer – what are the warning signs?

Colorectal cancer, also known as bowel cancer, is the second most common cancer in men in Ireland and the third most common cancer in women.

According to the World Health Organisation, bowel cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide, accounting for approximately 10pc of all cancer cases. It is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide.

The Marie Keating Foundation urges people seek advice if they experience any symptoms including:

• A change in normal bowel pattern such as looser stool, going more often or constipation for no obvious reason

• Bleeding from the back passage or blood in, or on, the stools

• Unexplained weight loss

• Pain in the abdomen or rectum (back passage)

• A feeling of straining as if you need to go to the toilet even after opening your bowels

• A lump in the back passage or tummy (abdomen), more commonly on the right side

• Tiredness and breathlessness

• These can also be symptoms of conditions other than cancer, but it’s important to see your doctor.