John Woodland, Blackwood, Wales

After doing his screening test in November 2023, John was diagnosed with stage 2 bowel cancer, aged 52.

I’m an active family man who enjoys spending time with my partner, children and grandchildren. I work full time as a factory manager.  

The screening test 

In early November 2023, I received the bowel cancer screening test through the post because I’m the eligible age. I didn’t have any symptoms, but I did it straight away. I’ve never been one to put anything off and I know it’s important to do these things to look after yourself. 

A few weeks later, I received a letter saying the test had detected blood in my stool. I then had a call from a nurse from the hospital saying I could either have a CT scan or a colonoscopy to check what was happening. I opted for the colonoscopy because if they found polyps, they could deal with it then and there.  

During the colonoscopy they found polyps which they removed and they also took eight biopsies. Afterwards, they called my partner and I into a side room where a nurse explained to us that it was cancer. This was a massive shock as I’ve always been fit and healthy. Accepting the news was difficult, for the first few weeks we were both shell shocked and couldn’t think straight.  

I held off telling the rest of my family. One of my daughters was pregnant and it was around Christmas, so we decided to wait. I didn’t want to tell them about it before I knew all the details. I was trying to protect them from the unanswered questions before the biopsy came back. I wanted to tell them once I had a treatment plan because with that there’s some hope. Of course, they were upset but because I knew by that point that I would be having surgery and chemo, there was light at the end of the tunnel.  

I had surgery in February 2024. They removed a section of my lower bowel and fitted a stoma. I was quite naïve going into it. I thought I’d be in and out in one day, but the nurse explained how serious it was and I ended up staying for 10 days. The piece of bowel which was removed had 12 lymph nodes and one was cancerous. Overall, my cancer was stage 2. 

Coping with my cancer diagnosis 

My medical team has been great. The cancer nurses kept me updated as soon as any results were available and when I woke up after surgery with a stoma bag, I was given fantastic support with how to get to grips with it. There’s been so much information to take on board. My recommendation is to pick what treatment you’re having first and learn about that rather than trying to read everything in one go, as it can be an overload of information.

Dealing with the stoma has been difficult, but I try to keep thinking that in a few months hopefully I’ll be clear of cancer, so it’ll be worth it. The plan is to reverse the stoma, which I’m looking forward to. As long as I have my journey staged out in my head and I have a date in front of me, it keeps me pushing forward.

Focusing on recovery  

Chemotherapy started in April. The side effects aren’t pleasant, but it will hopefully get rid of any cancer cells. Before this, I’ve always been fit and healthy and I've never been into hospital. I was always out with my dog in the village, mountain biking with friends, or going to spin classes. Suddenly having to put a stop to that is difficult. The surgery involved cutting through the abdominal area, so even getting out of bed can be hard afterwards. You just have to accept it, take time out to focus on recovery and hopefully come out the other side. My outlook is that I’ve had a positive outcome due to catching it early. I’m not going to moan because it needs to be done. I’ve got children and I need to keep fighting.   

When I reflect on the last few months, I realise that if I didn’t have the support of my family and friends, I don’t know how I’d get through it. You’re always going to go through some dark moments, but that support network is essential.  

Please never think that you’re exempt from cancer and make sure you do any screening tests on offer. I had no symptoms, yet I was thankfully only stage 2 when I was diagnosed. Receiving the screening test through the post potentially saved my life.

• Read more real life stories

• We're here to support you

• Learn more about bowel cancer screening