Melanie Mehmet, Brockley

I am married with two adult children and have a very affectionate German Shepherd called Enzo. I recently turned 60 and, with hindsight, got the best birthday present ever: a bowel screening test kit. This came to me through the post as part of the age-related screening programme for bowel cancer.

I had been experiencing stomach pains and noticed that my toilet habits had changed. This was the only difference that I noticed, and frankly I had dismissed it as IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) so nothing to worry about! I completed the kit at home and posted it back expecting to get a letter back saying all is well. Unfortunately, this was not the case as I received a letter to advise that further investigations were required, along with a pre-booked appointment with a screening practitioner.

Even after the telephone appointment, I still did not think it could be cancer, but the subsequent colonoscopy undertaken on 5 July 2022 confirmed that I had bowel cancer. You hear that "C word" and your mind goes into freefall but after talking to the specialist colorectal nurses, this is not the potentially life shortening diagnosis it was in years gone by. With funding, the treatment has improved so much. Also by educating the public, we can all play a part in recognising if there is something not quite right about our personal bowel habits and seek intervention at a much earlier point where a cure is available. I must also say that I had lost a sibling in 1973, who was only nine, to bowel cancer and understand fully how far treatment options have come since then.

I then attended many further appointments, CT and MRI scans, to check if my cancer had spread but fortunately it remained localised in my large colon. Thankfully, my surgery was successful and the tumour was completely removed. The surgeons took out a small section of my bowel and any associated lymph nodes. The clear ends were then reattached. I was also lucky that I did not require a stoma bag. I am now waiting to see an oncologist for chemotherapy as the histology of one of the lymph nodes showed abnormalities but I am expected to make a full recovery. I really must thank the NHS and Lewisham Hospital for all that they did to expedite my appointments and get the operation done within four weeks of diagnosis, they are truly amazing.

I have no doubts in my mind that this simple test saved my life. We all get a bit hung up over body waste but this test, which you can complete in the privacy of your own home, potentially is a life saver. The test, coupled with all the great publicity spread by the late Dame Deborah James, has increased the general public's awareness of this disease and made us all aware of the symptoms to look out for. I had suffered awhile with stomach pains but, as mentioned earlier, dismissed them as IBS or something I had eaten which did not agree with me. Ignorance is not always bliss and, in my case, like so many others this nearly proved fatal.

If you feel something is not quite right with any of your bodily functions, do not let anyone put you off getting answers. Rarely will it turn out to be cancer but it’s always best to get it sorted before it becomes life threatening. I have great respect for the medical profession who may have trained over many years to acquire their knowledge, but you have lived in your body since birth and are the ultimate expert on all things ‘you’.

I am extremely fortunate that I have a great family and support network. My family have been amazing in the support they have given me and each other, so I have not had to be on this journey on my own. I know that many other people are not so fortunate. A colleague of mine, Ann Marie will be running this year's London Marathon in aid of Bowel Cancer UK. Her fundraising page is here. Check it out if you get a chance, maybe donate. This is a cause which can affect any of us. You never know, the work undertaken by Bowel Cancer UK may just change your life or the life of a colleague or loved one.

To everyone who is on their own personal cancer journey, let us all hope that these journeys become fewer and ultimately end with a cure for all types of cancer. Life does not end with a cancer diagnosis but hopefully this will be just a small blip in my life's journey. Keep positive and enjoy life, some unfortunately will not get that chance.

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