Bowel cancer survivor urges people to take NHS test
BBCA woman who thought she was perfectly healthy has urged others to take a simple NHS bowel cancer test after it helped save her life.
Grace Stearn, 54, from Truro, said she had "no symptoms whatsoever" when a screening kit landed on her doormat.
But her result came back positive, triggering further checks and evidence of stage one bowel cancer.
Stearn underwent major surgery and said the "process saved my life".
Stearn said: "I can remember very clearly reading the leaflet that was enclosed with the kit and just thinking I'll send it off straight away, and I doubt if there'd be anything wrong."
A colonoscopy found some polyps which concerned experts, before a follow-up appointment confirmed the news she feared.
She said: "They told me 'Unfortunately, we have found a tumour in your rectum, it's classed as stage one cancer, so it's very early stage'.
"The scary part of it was I didn't have any symptoms," she added. "I still feel slightly shell shocked about it at times, because it was just so out of the blue… it's been a tough journey, and it's not just me, it's affected my whole family."
For others, the test has brought reassurance. Rose Millard, from Torquay, was offered a test after visiting her GP feeling run down. "It wasn't particularly pleasant, but it wasn't complicated," she said.
Her result came back clear, something she said gave peace of mind. "Because it was playing on my mind, I wanted to know one way or the other, and it was the easiest way to find out," she said.
Lisa Rees, senior early diagnosis officer at Bowel Cancer UK, said too many people still ignored the free tests, with "roughly a quarter" not completing them.
Key advice from Bowel Cancer UK:
- Complete your bowel screening test when it arrives, even if you feel well
- Look out for symptoms like blood in your poo, changes in bowel habits, tiredness or unexplained weight loss
- Speak to a GP or pharmacist if anything feels different, even if you were recently screened
- Do not feel embarrassed, "we all have a bowel… we all go to the toilet", said Rees.
- Reduce your risk by eating more fibre, cutting down on processed meat, staying active, and limiting alcohol and smoking
BBC Radio Cornwall and BBC Radio Devon are running Wake Up Call encouraging everyone to take a look at their health by speaking to a range of experts about health issues and hearing from people in Cornwall and Devon who have been through difficult times.
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, help and support is available via BBC Action Line.
