A mother has spoken out about her son's terminal bowel cancer diagnosis, which she believes was delayed because doctors dismissed his symptoms due to his young age. Steve Bradley was 23 when he died in December 2019, just over a year after being diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer.
Bradley first complained of acid reflux in January 2018 and was told it might be stress-related. He later developed sharp stomach pains, which doctors attributed to a 'grumbling appendix' or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Despite experiencing diarrhoea with blood, he was not examined and was given suppositories for haemorrhoids as a precaution.
In October 2018, Bradley suffered heavy rectal bleeding at work and was sent home. Blood tests showed he was anaemic, a possible sign of cancer, and a colonoscopy in November revealed a tumour blocking his intestines. He was diagnosed with stage 4 bowel cancer.
His mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, said: 'The problem is, the symptoms of bowel cancer and IBS are similar, so it's difficult to differentiate. But I think it's a doctor's job to explore every possibility.' She urged others to get symptoms checked and pleaded with doctors not to overlook potential cancer patients due to their young age.
Bradley underwent treatment but his condition deteriorated. He died at home with his mother by his side. She said: 'Mum, I can't do this anymore,' and was gone 14 hours later. She hopes sharing their story will prevent similar delays for other young people.
