27/05/2026
Charlie was diagnosed with stage 3 aged 43.
“In hindsight, I can now piece together symptoms from the couple of years before my diagnosis, but they weren’t so obvious at the time.
“Before my diagnosis, I began experiencing chronic constipation. My first bout lasted about 10 days and I was in a lot of pain. Eventually the constipation shifted and I enjoyed a family Christmas and a trip to Disneyland Paris.
“As we went into the New Year, I became progressively unwell. I once again became chronically constipated and completely lost my appetite. I had two more trips to the GP and was given a lot of laxatives.
“After 12 days of not even being able to pass wind, my husband drove me to A&E. I was sent straight for a CT scan and told I had a large mass and obstruction in my bowel which would need surgery.
“The next day I was given a sigmoidoscopy and a stenting procedure. The sigmoidoscopy identified a ‘malignant looking stricture’. The stents unfortunately perforated my bowel, leaving me in a life-threatening situation. I was taken into emergency surgery where my surgeon performed a complex bowel resection, gave me a colostomy and ultimately saved my life.
“A couple of days later, the biopsy from the sigmoidoscopy confirmed I had cancer.
“I felt quite numb when I was told it was cancer. They had been preparing me from the CT scan where they’d seen the ‘mass’. Once it was confirmed, I was so exhausted from surgery that it didn’t fully register. I think it hit me properly months later.
“I was then able to start chemotherapy six weeks and four days after surgery.
“Although I think I coped well overall, chemotherapy has such a huge impact on you as a person. I have never experienced anything like it in my life. I felt low and fed up when the chemo and steroids affected my legs, making walks and days out difficult.
“There were times I thought I couldn’t take any more treatment, but every time I had those thoughts, I looked at my children and knew I had to carry on for them.
“Five months on from chemo I’m exercising five days a week, eating normally and back doing most of the things I love. My oncologist describes me as currently in remission, but I’m aware how quickly things can change. There’s been a question mark over a tiny nodule in my lung which is being watched. But other than that, I’m just having scans and bloods every three months.
“Presently I am feeling well and positive. I try not to think too far into the future. If this experience has taught me anything, it’s that life is incredibly short and precious and things can change in an instant.”
Thank so much Charlie for sharing your story with us, we really appreciate your help raising vital awareness. To read Charlies whole story, go to https://bit.ly/3PqB1sD
