Young Woman's Double Bowel Cancer Ordeal Sparks Vital Awareness Campaign
At just 26 years old, Charlotte Rutherford received a life-altering diagnosis of Stage 3B bowel cancer that would reshape her entire perspective on life. Now 32 and working as a community manager for cancer charity Mission Remission in Bristol, she has endured not one but two separate cancer diagnoses, prompting her to become a vocal advocate during Bowel Cancer Awareness Month this April.
The Initial Emergency Diagnosis
Ms Rutherford was living in Australia in 2020 when her health crisis began. For approximately 18 months, she had experienced intermittent symptoms including severe stomach pain, persistent vomiting, and altered bowel habits. By December 2020, her condition had deteriorated to what she describes as an "emergency state" where she couldn't keep food down and was losing "a really dramatic amount of weight."
"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," Charlotte revealed to PA Real Life, reflecting on the terrifying period when doctors discovered an aggressive tumour obstructing her colon.
A CT scan confirmed the worst: Stage 3B bowel cancer that had spread to her lymph nodes. The tumour was so advanced that doctors estimated it had been developing for three to five years. Within 24 hours of her hospital admission on 11 December 2020, Charlotte underwent emergency surgery to remove the obstruction.
The Devastating Recurrence
Following surgery and 12 weeks of preventative chemotherapy, Charlotte received the welcome news on 6 April 2021 that she was in remission. She returned to the UK and underwent regular six-monthly scans and blood tests for monitoring. By 2023, aged 29, there had been no sign of recurrence, and she approached her February scan with unusual calm.
"Maybe it was naive, but I really didn't think I was going to have a recurrence during my remission," she admitted. "It was a huge shock, because I felt so fit and healthy."
Just nine days after that routine scan, a call from the hospital shattered her peace. The cancer had returned, this time on her lung, leading to a Stage 4 diagnosis as it had metastasised from its original site. At 29, Charlotte faced a difficult choice between further chemotherapy that could impact her fertility and alternative treatment options.
Treatment and Recovery Challenges
Due to the tumour's small size, Charlotte was able to undergo keyhole surgery in April 2023 rather than another round of chemotherapy. The physical recovery proved arduous, particularly dealing with severe breathlessness that made even walking difficult.
"It took a long time to build up my fitness again," she explained, describing how she had to gradually rebuild her strength through weeks of careful rehabilitation.
The emotional toll has been equally significant. "Because I was so young, you're around an age group where people are progressing with other areas of their life, like buying houses and work and stuff," she reflected. "You just feel so behind where everyone else is, for something that is just so out of your control."
Raising Awareness for Young People
With April designated as Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, Charlotte is now passionately advocating for greater recognition that this disease can affect young individuals. According to Bowel Cancer UK, over 2,500 people under 50 are diagnosed with bowel cancer annually in the UK.
"There isn't quite that awareness still that this can happen to young people," Charlotte stated emphatically. "I think that just raising awareness of the symptoms and making sure people have the confidence to get checked if something doesn't feel right... To not have that immediate thought of: 'You're too young to have bowel cancer' is important."
The NHS highlights several key symptoms that should prompt medical attention:
- Changes in bowel habits lasting three weeks or more
- Blood in stools (appearing black or red)
- Persistent stomach pain or discomfort
- Unexplained weight loss
- Bloating that doesn't go away
The Stage4You Campaign
This Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, Bowel Cancer UK and Takeda UK are highlighting their Stage4You campaign, developed and funded by Takeda UK. The initiative specifically addresses the unique challenges faced by those living with Stage 4 bowel cancer.
The campaign encourages people living with advanced bowel cancer to "take a self-awareness day, and give themselves permission to step back when disease awareness content feels too much." For Charlotte, this support has been invaluable.
"Stage4You acknowledges the mental toll of what we're going through, and gives us that acknowledgement to be able to just take some time, and to see that life doesn't just go on as normal sometimes," she explained.
A Changed Perspective on Life
Reflecting on her harrowing journey through two cancer diagnoses before the age of 30, Charlotte concluded: "I think my whole perspective on life changed after cancer. 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."
Her experience has instilled a profound lesson about life's unpredictability: "You realise that, really, things can change so quickly – so don't sweat the small stuff – live life how you want to live."
