Woman who battled bowel cancer twice before 30 shares symptoms young people must not ignore

A woman is keen to raise awareness about the early symptoms of bowel cancer after being diagnosed with the disease twice before the age of 30.

In December 2020, Charlotte Rutherford was living in Australia when she was admitted to hospital with severe stomach pain, vomiting and a complete loss of appetite.

"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 then underwent a CT scan, which revealed that she'd developed bowel cancer, with the tumour obstructing her colon and having spread to her lymph nodes.

In the 18 months leading up to her hospitalisation, Charlotte had been experiencing intermittent symptoms, with the community manager recalling three-hour vomiting sessions, drastic weight loss and a change to her bowel habits.

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

'I had no time to think'

However, she didn't seek treatment for them until they became constant, at which point the tumour in her colon had caused her to become so constipated that she was being 'poisoned' by waste that was unable to leave her body.

Further tests undertaken by the hospital revealed that Charlotte's cancer was advanced and had likely developed over a span of three to five years before her hospital visit.

The tumour had also spread, growing in her lymph nodes.

"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."

Fortunately, doctors were able to treat Charlotte's cancer, with the Brit undergoing surgery to remove the tumours, followed by 12 weeks of preventative chemotherapy.

Charlotte was placed in remission the following April and moved back to the UK, where she continued to have regular check scans, which remained clear for several years.

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

'It was a huge shock'

In February 2023, Charlotte, then 29, went for a regular check-up at her hospital. Recalling that she was feeling 'so fit and healthy', the Bristol resident wasn't concerned about the scan – until receiving an urgent call from her surgeon.

It was during this appointment that Charlotte was informed that her cancer had not only returned but metastasised.

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

After weighing up undergoing further chemotherapy against concerns for her fertility, Charlotte underwent keyhole surgery to have the tumour removed and is once again in remission.

However, the emotional toll of having cancer twice during her 20s has taken its toll, with Charlotte now keen to raise awareness about cancer symptoms among young people.

"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 pleas come as bowel cancer diagnoses are on the rise among young people, with a 2020 survey conducted by Bowel Cancer UK revealing that half of younger people with bowel cancer didn't realise they could develop the disease before diagnosis.

According to Cancer Research UK, it's the fourth most common cancer in the UK. April also marks Bowel Cancer Awareness Month.

Reflecting on how having cancer has changed her life, Charlotte added that she now has a new outlook.

"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?

(Getty Stock Images)

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 notes, however, that 'some of these symptoms are very common and can be caused by other conditions'.

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

If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact Macmillan’s Cancer Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, 8am–8pm seven days a week.