WHEN Rob McPherson first started feeling stomach pains, diarrhoea and nausea, he thought it was just a food intolerance.
Being quite young and fit, the 39-year-old from Manchester didn’t expect anything more serious.
Cover ImagesRob thought his bloating was a sign he had a food intolerance[/caption] Cover ImagesHe was just 39 and played football every week when he was diagnosed with bowel cancer[/caption]“I was just a normal guy playing football every week, going to work as usual and then I started feeling a little bit ill around October time,” the digital media worker said.
At first, Rob thought he might be allergic or intolerant to bread or beer.
“I quite like my beer and my pizza,” he said, but over time his symptoms just got worse.
“The stomach cramps turned into bloating as well,” he explained.
“I was eating stuff and wouldn’t be enjoying the food as much.”
Within weeks, the pain was severe enough that Rob was off work for a week, struggling to sleep and feeling constantly bloated.
His boyfriend Sam urged him to call NHS 111.
“I thought they would tell me to take some paracetamol or something,” Rob recalled.
“But they sent out an ambulance for me.
“When they said that I thought, ‘Oh, okay. Something’s seriously wrong here.’”
At hospital, scans revealed a 7cm tumour near his stomach that needed urgent surgery – which happened within 12 hours.
Doctors told him he’d need a biopsy and a stoma, and three days before Christmas he was diagnosed with bowel cancer.
“I was scared and nervous, but it had to be done,” Rob said.
‘I thought I could tough it out’
Following the surgery, he spent weeks learning how to live with the stoma before undergoing five weeks of chemotherapy and radiotherapy to shrink the tumour.
The tumour was removed in July 2018, followed by further chemotherapy to ensure any remaining cancer cells were destroyed.
His stoma was reversed in February 2019, leaving a scar – a reminder of what he went through.
Cover ImagesThe digital media worker had to get a stoma bag fitted[/caption] Cover ImagesHe is now warning others to take changes in their body seriously[/caption]Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with over 44,000 new cases diagnosed annually.
What is especially worrying is that bowel cancer rates among young people like Rob who are under 50 have been rising steadily in recent years — increasing by about 7 per cent each year.
“I probably left it a bit longer than I should have,” he addmitted. “I maybe thought I could tough it out or I could just deal with it”.
What are the red flag warning signs of bowel cancer?
IT'S the fourth most common cancer in the UK, the second deadliest - yet bowel cancer can be cured, if you catch it early enough.
While screening is one way of ensuring early diagnosis, there are things everyone can do to reduce their risk of the deadly disease.
Being aware of the signs and symptoms of bowel cancer, spotting any changes and checking with your GP can prove a life-saver.
If you notice any of the signs, don’t be embarrassed and don’t ignore them. Doctors are used to seeing lots of patients with bowel problems.
The five red-flag symptoms of bowel cancer include:
Bleeding from the back passage, or blood in your poo A change in your normal toilet habits – going more frequently for example Pain or a lump in your tummy Extreme tiredness Losing weightTumours in the bowel typically bleed, which can cause a shortage of red blood cells, known as anaemia. It can cause tiredness and sometimes breathlessness.
In some cases bowel cancer can block the bowel, this is known as a bowel obstruction.
Other signs include:
Gripping pains in the abdomen Feeling bloated Constipation and being unable to pass wind Being sick Feeling like you need to strain – like doing a number two – but after you’ve been to the looWhile these are all signs to watch out for, experts warn the most serious is noticing blood in your stools.
But, they warn it can prove tricky for doctors to diagnose the disease, because in most cases these symptoms will be a sign of a less serious disease.
Research from NHS England shows nearly half of men feel pressure to tough things out rather than seek help, but Rob stressed that getting checked early makes a huge difference.
Rob said: “I think quite a lot of people are worried about causing a fuss and giving the GPs more work.
“But that’s what the GPs are there for and the NHS is there for — they’re there to help to put people’s minds at rest.
“When you’re ill, a lot of things go through your mind.
“You think the worst things, you think the best things and until you actually go and get tested and find out, you’re wasting a lot of time and there’s a lot of worry.”
Rob also highlighted the importance of support from family and friends.
“I’d also tell others to talk to family members and friends, because they can maybe see symptoms more and they can talk you into going to the doctors.”
He credited his husband Sam for being there throughout his treatment and recovery, and his nurse Debbie for keeping him motivated and positive.
“Debbie was matter-of-fact but caring as well, which is what I needed because any time I was feeling a bit down, she was getting me out of that funk and encouraging me to focus on the positive stuff,” Rob said.
‘Cancer can affect anyone’
Now cancer-free and back to playing football and working, Rob wants others to understand the warning signs.
“I was a bit blasé about the symptoms and now that I know what the symptoms are, I keep an eye out for them a lot more and I’m a lot more aware of them,” he said.
The NHS ‘Help Us Help You’ campaign advises that if you’ve had tummy trouble such as discomfort or diarrhoea for three weeks or more, or seen blood in your pee — even once — it could be a sign of cancer and you should contact your GP.
Early diagnosis improves treatment outcomes and saves lives.
“Remember, you know your body best, so pay attention to any warning signs and get checked as soon as possible if you’re concerned,” Rob said.
“My story shows that cancer can affect anyone, no matter how active you are, and you should never put off getting checked if you feel that something isn’t right.”
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