We’re New Zealand’s leading bowel cancer charity

I was 47 when I was diagnosed with stage 3 bowel cancer. I wasn’t in any pain. In fact the only symptoms I had was sporadic blood showing up in my poop and some constipation and cramps. Nothing really – or so I thought.

I’d been doing a bit of international travel with work and so the first doctor I saw thought I might have picked up a bug. I had a stool test but it came up inconclusive. About two months later a second GP thought I might have a cut in the lining of my rectum and sent me home with some cream.