Jenny Duncan, a 45-year-old from Hull in the UK, was diagnosed with incurable bowel cancer after delaying medical help due to embarrassment over her symptoms. It all began during a vacation in Lanzarote in 2019 when she first noticed signs like stomach pain and blood on toilet paper. At the time, she thought it might be piles and didn’t want to worry.
Busy with life and about to start a new job as an assistant head teacher, Jenny attributed her symptoms to stress and minor issues. Her husband eventually urged her to see a doctor. After showing images of the blood she was noticing, she was referred to a specialist and diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer in October 2020.
Jenny admitted she regretted not seeking help sooner and wished she had not been ashamed to talk about “poo and bums.” She shared that she used to think bowel cancer only affected older men and didn’t realize it could strike someone in their forties.
Her treatment began just as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the UK, leaving her isolated during chemotherapy, which caused hair loss and rashes. Her tumor was removed in March, but in January 2022, she learned the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes, making it incurable.
Jenny described how devastated she felt upon hearing the news but soon decided to focus on living fully. She spends time with her adult sons and continues to work, despite fatigue and regular scans every few months.
She is grateful for every day and hopes her story encourages others not to ignore or feel ashamed of symptoms that could be serious.
According to medical experts, symptoms of bowel cancer include changes in bowel habits, rectal bleeding, abdominal discomfort, feeling of incomplete bowel emptying, weakness, and unexplainable weight loss.
