A young woman who was diagnosed with bowel cancer twice before the age of 30 is urging other young people not to ignore symptoms. Charlotte Rutherford, now 32 and living in Bristol, was first diagnosed with Stage 3B bowel cancer in 2020 while living in Australia. Just three years later, at 29, she was told the cancer had returned, this time on her lung.
Ms Rutherford, a community manager for the charity Mission Remission, recalls the harrowing experience. She had intermittent symptoms for around 18 months before being rushed to hospital in December 2020, unable to keep food down and in severe pain. A CT scan revealed a bowel obstruction caused by an aggressive tumour that had spread to her lymph nodes. 'I was told I was maybe 48 hours away from my heart just giving up,' she said.
Emergency surgery removed the tumour, followed by 12 weeks of chemotherapy. She was declared in remission in April 2021. But in February 2023, a routine scan detected a recurrence on her lung, leading to a Stage 4 diagnosis. 'I felt so fit and so healthy, it was probably the scan I went into with the least amount of scan anxiety,' she explained. Keyhole surgery was performed, and she opted against further chemotherapy to preserve her fertility.
Now cancer-free, Ms Rutherford stresses the importance of being aware of symptoms like persistent stomach pain, altered bowel habits, and unexplained weight loss. 'This can be happening to young people,' she warns. 'We need to talk about it more.' Her message to others: 'Don’t sweat the small stuff – live life how you want to live.'
