Kirsty Adam, 33, from Glasgow, was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma in the bowel - a rare and aggressive cancer - after doctors initially linked her stomach cramps to her period or food poisoning.
Adam began experiencing painful stomach cramps in March 2026 and visited her GP, who thought they were related to her period. Over the following two months, she developed weight loss, diarrhoea and severe abdominal pain. A second GP visit led to a diagnosis of food poisoning.
She was later diagnosed at the Royal Infirmary in Glasgow and underwent a six-and-a-half-hour operation to remove the tumour, part of her bowel and half of her stomach. She now relies on a stoma bag.
Initial symptoms dismissed
Adam, a child care worker, said: "I had already had my period when the stomach cramps started, so I was wondering why I was getting these cramps. The cramps were on and off, then I got diarrhoea and severe abdominal pain. Doctors thought it was due to my period, then potentially food poisoning - I was palmed off a few times."
In May 2026, she returned to her GP, who referred her to the Royal Infirmary amid concerns she could have Crohn's disease - a condition her father had - or an appendix-related issue. There, she underwent a blood test and provided a stool sample.
"The sample showed that there was a lot of blood in my stool," Adam said. "I was then sent for a colonoscopy. I thought it was Crohn's disease, as that is what my dad has."
Shock diagnosis and surgery
Adam went into shock when her results revealed cancer. Speaking to Talk to the Press, she said: "I just zoned out; my partner picked up most of the information. As soon as they mentioned cancer, I just stared at the door handle, wanting to run out of the room. I was in shock. I had already got it into my head that they would tell me I had Crohn's."
She was told she would need an operation to remove the tumour and CT scans to ensure the cancer had not spread. "I was told that due to the type of cancer, it would not respond well to chemotherapy. The only option I had was surgery to remove the tumour completely," she continued.
During the surgery, surgeons removed the tumour, part of her bowel and half of her stomach. Adam said: "The surgeon told me that if they did not operate on me, I would not have been here today."
Ongoing monitoring and recovery hopes
Adam now undergoes CT scans every six months to monitor her condition. She hopes her cancer will not return and that her bowel will heal enough for medics to remove her stoma bag.
She added: "I am struggling with my body. I have this big scar right down the front of my torso. Having to empty and manage my stoma bag is so tricky and difficult. But I am hopeful I will be able to get rid of it someday."
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde declined to comment.
