Woman Who Faced Bowel Cancer Twice Before 30 Urges Young People Not To Ignore Warning Signs

A woman is now speaking out to raise awareness about the early signs of bowel cancer after being diagnosed with the illness twice before she turned 30. She hopes her experience will encourage others to take symptoms seriously and not delay seeking help.

Back in December 2020, Charlotte Rutherford was living in Australia when she suddenly became very unwell. She was admitted to hospital after experiencing intense stomach pain, repeated vomiting, and a complete loss of appetite that left her unable to function normally.

"I was told that when I went into hospital the first time in 2020 that I was maybe 48 hours away from my heart just giving up," the now-32-year-old explained.

Charlotte was then sent for a CT scan, which revealed that she had bowel cancer. Doctors found that the tumor was blocking part of her colon and had already spread to nearby lymph nodes, making the situation more serious.

Looking back, Charlotte realized she had been dealing with symptoms for around 18 months before her hospital visit. She described episodes of vomiting that could last up to three hours, noticeable weight loss, and clear changes in her bowel habits that she had not fully understood at the time.

Charlotte Rutherford has opened up on the impact of having cancer twice in her 30s PA Real Life

'I had no time to think'

She explained that she did not seek medical advice earlier because the symptoms would come and go, which made them easier to ignore. By the time they became constant, her condition had worsened significantly.

The tumor had caused a severe blockage in her colon, leading to a dangerous buildup of waste in her body. This left her feeling extremely ill and required urgent medical attention.

Further testing showed that the cancer was already at an advanced stage and had likely been developing for several years before it was discovered.

"I had no time to think," she recalled.

"I was in Australia, and it was in Covid, so I was on my own in the hospital. To be honest, the thing that was going through my mind because of how unwell I felt… I just thought I was going to die in the hospital."

Thankfully, doctors were able to begin treatment quickly. Charlotte underwent surgery to remove the tumors, followed by 12 weeks of chemotherapy aimed at reducing the risk of the cancer returning.

Charlotte entered remission the following April and later returned to the UK. Over the next few years, she attended regular follow-up scans, which continued to show no signs of cancer during that period.

The 32-year-old was diagnosed while living in Australia PA Real Life

'It was a huge shock'

In February 2023, when she was 29, Charlotte went in for a routine check-up. She felt well and did not expect any bad news, which made what followed even harder to process.

During that appointment, doctors told her that the cancer had come back and had spread further in her body, which meant she would need more treatment.

"It was a huge shock, because I felt so fit and healthy," she said.

After considering her options, including the impact that further chemotherapy could have on her fertility, Charlotte chose to have keyhole surgery to remove the new tumor.

She is now once again in remission, but going through cancer twice during her twenties has had a lasting emotional impact. It also strengthened her determination to speak openly about the disease.

"There isn't quite that awareness still that this can happen to young people," she said.

She now wants to raise awareness about cancer warning signs, especially around young people PA Real Life

'It shows you how fragile life is'

Her message comes at a time when bowel cancer is being diagnosed more often in younger people. A 2020 survey by Bowel Cancer UK found that many younger patients did not realize they were at risk before being diagnosed.

Cancer Research UK also notes that bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the country. April is recognized as Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, which aims to highlight the importance of early detection.

Looking back on her experience, Charlotte shared how the illness changed her outlook on life and what matters to her moving forward.

"I think my whole perspective on life changed [after cancer]," she said.

"I say yes to more things. I make sure that all of the time I have is spent doing things that I actually want to do."

"I think it shows you how fragile life is."

What are the symptoms of bowel cancer?

Common symptoms of bowel cancer include:

• Losing weight without trying
• Stomach pain
• Changes in your poo, including softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation
• Needing to poo more or less often than usual
• Blood in your poo or bleeding from your bottom

The NHS explains that many of these symptoms can also be caused by other, less serious conditions, which can make them easy to overlook at first.

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"Having the symptoms does not definitely mean you have bowel cancer, but it's important to get checked by a GP," it advises.