Good Morning Britain host Susanna Reid was left visibly emotional and confessing she felt 'so upset' during Tuesday's programme after hearing the harrowing story of a young woman's fight for a cancer diagnosis.
The ITV show on November 18 saw Reid presenting alongside Paul Brand, who was standing in for Richard Madeley. Their guest, a young woman named Milli, bravely shared her experience to highlight the critical issue of young people struggling to be taken seriously when showing potential cancer symptoms.
A Fight for Recognition
Milli recounted how it took 13 separate visits to her GP before she finally received answers. She initially sought medical help after discovering blood in her stool and suffering from stomach and back pain. Instead of receiving urgent investigation, she was told she might have 'overdone it on a night out' and was advised to ensure she ate something before going out.
'I wasn't sure what it was to begin with,' Milli disclosed, 'there's so many different reasons why you could be having those symptoms, so at the start I didn't think it could be bowel cancer, but as the months and the years went on, by the time I was diagnosed, I knew exactly what it was going to be.'
Taking Diagnosis Into Her Own Hands
Faced with repeated dismissals and being told she was 'too young' to have cancer, Milli took a proactive and desperate step. She ordered and paid for a private bowel cancer test online. After presenting these results to her doctors, her GP finally agreed months later to provide the same test, which led to a colonoscopy and the devastating confirmation.
'When I saw it on the screen, the tumour, I knew straight away,' she recalled. 'And I said to the doctor, 'What is that?' and she said, 'It's a tumour', and I said, 'is it cancerous?' and she said, 'I'm really sorry'. I can't really remember a lot else after that point.'
Doctors informed her that the tumour appeared to have been present for a couple of years, leading to a diagnosis of stage three bowel cancer at just 22 years old.
A Message of Hope and Advocacy
In a remarkable show of strength, Milli said her initial feeling was not anger but relief at finally having a answer, and concern for the next steps. Her family and partner, however, were deeply shocked and upset by the news.
Hearing this, a compassionate Susanna Reid responded, 'I feel angry on your behalf, I feel so upset.'
The story, thankfully, has a positive outcome. Milli is now urging everyone to be vigilant about their symptoms and to advocate for themselves persistently with medical professionals. She shared the hopeful news that she is now in remission and has been cancer-free since August 2024.
Concluding the powerful segment, Susanna Reid said, 'Thank goodness you took cancer into your own hands and let's hope doctors and GPs hear your story and take it seriously.'
