A 23-year-old woman from Salford is urging others not to dismiss worrying symptoms after her stomach pains turned out to be bowel cancer.
Martha had surgery to remove her appendix and one-third of her large bowel to remove a cancerous tumour.
Martha Dickson initially believed she was badly constipated when she began experiencing persistent abdominal pain. But after more than a week of discomfort that became so severe it left her in tears, she called NHS 111 and was told to go straight to A&E.
After tests at Salford Royal Hospital, Martha was diagnosed with appendicitis caused by a mass in her bowel – raising concerns about a possible bowel cancer.
She later underwent surgery to remove her appendix and one-third of her large bowel to remove a cancerous tumour.
Martha said: “At first I thought I was just really, really constipated. I was drinking prune juice and coffee to try and clear it but then the pain got worse and felt more painful than anything I’ve ever experienced.”
Doctors diagnosed bowel cancer which had been found at a very early stage and was treatable with surgery alone. Because the cancer had been found early, she did not require chemotherapy.
Martha added: “I didn’t dare look at my stomach after surgery and was dreading the scar as a young woman who wants to go to Ibiza and wear a bikini. But they were able to do three keyhole entries and one small cut. It’s not as bad as I feared and I’m still here.”
Having recently moved to Manchester from Norfolk before her illness, Martha has since returned to work in a sandwich shop and is settling into life in the city.
“It was hard being 200 miles from home, but Salford Royal were so good,” she said. “I always thought I was too young for cancer. But even if you are young, if you have symptoms like I did, please just get checked.”
Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the UK. Although more common in people aged over 50, younger adults can also be affected, making it vital to report any changes to your GP.
Dr Roger Prudham, Clinical Lead for colorectal cancer at Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance, urged anyone with symptoms to speak to their GP.
He said: “If you’re experiencing any of the symptoms listed, your GP would really like to speak to you about it. Don’t be embarrassed – GPs have these conversations every day. Most of the time they’ll help you rule out cancer, but if it is cancer, finding it early makes a big difference.”
