Sophie Hoile-Davies, Neath
I was diagnosed with what turned out to be stage 4 bowel cancer in July 2025, after being admitted to hospital and referred for a colonoscopy.
I’m 21 years old and live at home with my mum, along with our cat and dog. I also have a twin sister. Having her by my side through everything has meant more to me than I can put into words. Family has been such an important part of helping me get through the hardest time of my life.
Warning signs
Looking back, the signs had been there for a long time. For a few years, I’d been dealing with bloating and cramping, but I genuinely believed it was just period pain. It never crossed my mind that it could be anything serious, especially at my age.
In April 2025, shortly after coming home from a girls’ holiday, I fainted in my local town. An ambulance was called, and my blood pressure was low, but it was brushed off as something linked to travel and dehydration. I carried on as normal.
Then in May, after another holiday to Turkey, everything changed. As soon as I got home, I felt extremely unwell — shivering, flu-like symptoms, completely drained. It lasted for weeks. I knew something wasn’t right.
When I went to my GP, they were concerned and sent me straight to hospital. Blood tests showed my haemoglobin levels were dangerously low at 52, meaning I was losing blood from somewhere. Because I wasn’t having periods anymore due to my contraceptive implant, it didn’t make sense.
A shocking diagnosis
I stayed in hospital for a few days having blood and iron transfusions. They tested me for coeliac disease, which came back negative, and referred me for a colonoscopy. Even then, I was reassured it was most likely Crohn’s because of my age.
A week later, I was called in to see a consultant. That’s the moment everything changed. I was told I had stage 2 colon cancer.
The very next day, I had stoma surgery. During the operation, they found suspicious nodules in my peritoneum. Not long after being discharged I met my oncologist and I was told those nodules were cancerous — my diagnosis had progressed to stage 4.
When they told me, I never imagined something like this could happen to me, especially at my age. What made it even harder was realising I’d been living with symptoms for so long, thinking they were something normal.
Everything moved so quickly — from thinking it might be something minor, to being told I had advanced cancer. It was overwhelming and at times hard to even process.
Successful treatment
My treatment started almost immediately. I had stoma surgery the day after my diagnosis, which was a lot to take in both physically and emotionally.
I then went through six months of intensive chemotherapy every 11 days. It was exhausting and pushed me in ways I never expected, both mentally and physically.
After chemotherapy, I underwent major cytoreductive surgery with HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy). During this surgery, my stoma was successfully reversed, which was a huge milestone for me. Thankfully, the surgery was successful, and I am now cancer free.
Since then, I’ve had another operation due to a bowel obstruction caused by scar tissue from the original surgery. It’s a reminder that recovery doesn’t just stop once treatment ends.
Where I am now and my main message
Right now, I'm cancer free, which still feels surreal to say. After everything, that’s something I’ll never take for granted.
I’m continuing to recover from my surgeries and adjusting to a new normal. I’ll have scans and blood tests every three months for the next two years, which brings its own anxieties, but also reassurance that I’m being closely monitored.
I’ve been incredibly lucky to have strong support around me. My medical team guided me through every stage of treatment, and my family and friends have been there through it all.
If there’s one thing I would want people to take from my story, it’s this: don’t ignore your symptoms and don’t assume you’re ‘too young’ for something serious. I did that, and I nearly paid the price for it.
You know your body better than anyone. If something doesn’t feel right, push for answers. It could save your life. Thank you for reading.
