Hello, my name is Anne-Marie and I am from the UK. It was back in June 2019 when I found out that I had stage 2 colorectal cancer. I have a family history of cancer — my mother had breast and liver cancer, my father had pancreatic cancer and my grandmother and cousins had breast cancer. Since then, I have undergone surgery and chemotherapy, the latter of which I decided to discontinue due to intolerable side effects. Fortunately, I was declared cancer-free in January 2025.
It was through a bowel screening programme that I discovered I had stage 2 colon adenocarcinoma. I had a general feeling that things were not right. Other symptoms that I experienced from my cancer include:
I was fearful yet angry when I first learnt about my cancer. Given my family history and the symptoms I had been experiencing, I was expecting it so I felt resigned but I was angry that my initial concerns were dismissed. I had been to and fro between GPs previously for 12 months but I was always fobbed off with trapped wind, etc. so my cancer could actually have been found earlier. Interestingly, my family was more upset and worried than I was which surprised me.
After receiving my diagnosis, I went to do my own research and I found the Macmillian website very useful. I went in to see my doctor armed with the information I had gathered and this enabled me to ask appropriate questions. As a result, I opted for a treatment plan of partial colectomy (removal of a part of the colon) and chemotherapy. I was optimistic about it as I felt more in charge. I had pre-op and surgery within 3 months of my diagnosis. While I was offered chemo, I decided to stop after 1 infusion and 1 lot of tablets due to neuropathy. I had bad reactions from it and it only increased the chances of my cancer not returning by an extra 3% so I decided to discontinue it.
In terms of medical costs, my treatment is covered by the NHS.
Chemotherapy caused me to experience fatigue, peripheral neuropathy, nausea and vomiting. In particular, peripheral neuropathy caused me to be in constant pain. Hence, I stopped the chemo.
My future plans include lots of travelling to places on my wish list, getting together with family as often as possible and saying YES to any opportunities.
I continued working after I was diagnosed with cancer. I took a simple sick leave and went back to work.
After being diagnosed with cancer I’ve struggled with my day-to-day life and my social life and relationships with loved ones. My partner took the news badly and it was difficult talking to my family for a while. I was also worried that I would not recover so this affected my sleep and therefore, my daily life. This affected me the most and I still have dark thoughts in the wee hours. I think once you have received a cancer diagnosis, you live with the fear that it may return.
While I was declared cancer-free back in January 2025, I still face some challenges as a cancer survivor. The emotional or psychological impact of having had cancer and the fear of recurrence still haunts me today but I try to stay as positive as possible. To cope with this, I also do plenty of yoga and sea swimming. Frequent get-togethers with good friends and family have also helped make things easier for me.
My biggest fears? Throughout my cancer journey, I felt fearful of the cancer returning, not surviving or dying as well as a fear of the impact of my cancer on family or relationships.
To manage these fears, I tried to engage in mindfulness or relaxation techniques, focus on physical recovery and staying active, educating myself about the cancer and treatment process, focusing on positive thinking or gratitude and by reassuring my family.
Today, I feel neutral. I do worry that my cancer may return but I am pragmatic. What will be, will be.
Keep a positive mindset. There is life after cancer and this should not define you. Stay focused and positive. Find out as much as you can about your cancer and the treatments. Knowledge can help to conquer your fears. Never be afraid to question the treatments being suggested to you and always remember that you are in charge.
This patient's story is published and shared with their full consent. Any personal data that can be used to identify the patient has been omitted.
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