Michelle Matthews-Fletcher, Wrexham
I was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer on 12 January 2025.
I grew up in and around Manchester and met my husband in 2013. During lockdown we got our first dog, Bobby, who quickly became our whole world. In 2022 my husband and I made the decision to move to North Wales and we also moved my parents in with us. It’s one of the best decisions we’ve ever made, and having that close family support has meant everything, especially over the past year.
I first noticed blood in the toilet around May/June 2024 along with occasional stomach cramps at night. The amount of blood was alarming, so I went to my GP. I was examined and told it was an anal fissure. I was given cream and a FIT test. I remember the GP telling me I was too young for it to be bowel cancer. The FIT test came back negative, so I continued to use the cream and carried on as normal. The bleeding continued, so around five months after first going to the GP I arranged a colonoscopy privately through my employer’s private health insurance.
After the colonoscopy on 29 November 2024, the consultant told me that he’d found a tumour and took biopsies to be sure. The initial biopsy was inconclusive, but on 12 January 2025 a second biopsy confirmed I had stage 3 bowel cancer. It was a complete shock. I didn’t feel unwell at all, so it knocked me and my family for six. I was also in denial at first; because the initial biopsy was inconclusive, I’d held onto the hope that the second biopsy might show there was no tumour.
The waiting around Christmas 2024 for full diagnosis was extremely difficult. I had so much fear and anxiety in-between appointments and waiting for staging. The longer it took for me to get started with treatment, the worse I kept thinking my tumour was getting. It was a very difficult set of emotions to deal with.
My treatment
My treatment started on 10 February 2025 with chemoradiotherapy. Mentally I quickly went into what I call ‘robot mode’ – game face on, just get through it. Another huge wave of mixed emotions. I had chemo tablets twice a day and radiotherapy five days a week. The immediate tiredness after each session was difficult and worsened as the week went on. My husband and parents took turns driving me to the hospital and I would always need a nap as soon as I got home.
Side effects for me included dizziness, sickness, hot and cold spells, headaches, body aches, hip pain, tiredness, diarrhoea, heavy periods, night sweats and a constant feeling of needing the toilet. To cope, I kept detailed daily notes of how I felt. I work as a payroll manager, so organising everything like appointments, letters and notes helped me feel more in control. I had a planned one-week break after chemoradiotherapy for my 40th birthday, which turned into two weeks after I was admitted to hospital with an infection.
I started chemotherapy on 31 March 2025. I had four cycles of CAPOX including capecitabine and I can honestly say it was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through both physically and mentally. The fatigue was completely overwhelming, a different level from tiredness. At times it felt like my whole body was made of lead.
Even doing simple things like having a shower was exhausting, but I made sure to do it every day as a small personal goal. I also experienced bloating and weight gain, which can be surprising as many people assume cancer always leads to weight loss. For me, eating actually helped to manage my nausea. During rest weeks, getting out for walks with my husband and Bobby was really important, as walking is a big part of my life.
After my third cycle, I needed a platelet transfusion. I remember that being in hospital was scary during treatment, because I was so aware of how low my immune system was. My final cycle was reduced to 80%.
I was told on 7 July 2025 that my tumour had gone. I didn’t need surgery. I had gone into that appointment with a notepad full of questions about surgery, but before I could ask anything my consultant simply said: ‘It’s gone’. My husband and I were in shock. I rang the bell that day surrounded by some of the nursing team and even other people waiting for treatment gave me a round of applause. It was an extremely emotional day that I will never forget.
Right now, I’m feeling positive, although it’s taken around 10 months to start feeling like myself again. I’ve made changes to my diet and lifestyle to give myself the best chance of preventing recurrence. The fear is always there in the background, but going through cancer has given me a completely new perspective on life. I’m currently on ‘watch and wait’, so I’ll have a colonoscopy and MRI every three months for the first two years, then checks every six months. I’m hopeful that I'll reach the five-year mark and be officially declared cancer-free.
Amazing support
Throughout my treatment I had amazing support from my family and medical team. During chemoradiotherapy I had a colorectal nurse who regularly checked my radiation burns and a small team of nurses were always available if I needed help or advice when I went on to chemotherapy.
Living with my husband, my parents and Bobby at home meant I had constant support – I still do. My friends also checked in regularly, sending messages and gifts. I felt surrounded by love. My employer and colleagues were incredibly understanding, I was given the flexibility to work when I felt able with no pressure.
I used Bowel Cancer UK’s Ask The Nurse service after finishing treatment, which really helped provide reassurance. I also used the Bowel Cancer website to better understand my diagnosis and staging. It’s an incredibly helpful resource and I would highly recommend others going on the website for support.
My husband wanted to do something to help so he organised a 72-hole Super Golf challenge with my brother-in-law and friends. They raised £3,662.50 for Bowel Cancer UK and I was incredibly proud of my husband for doing this.
My final message is - if you notice changes in your toilet habits, please don’t ignore them and get checked.
