Phil Owen, a 59-year-old from Swansea, has shared his experience of being diagnosed with bowel cancer, a condition he discovered after months of stomach issues. The founder of Ocean Therapy, a surf programme that helps Armed Forces veterans and young people rebuild confidence in the water, had visited his GP multiple times over five months with IBS-like symptoms.
In mid-August 2025, his symptoms changed overnight, and he was unable to go to the toilet. After a GP asked about a missed test, he had a colonoscopy at Morriston Hospital on October 30, 2025, which revealed a tumour. Mr Owen, who taught science at Penyrheol Comprehensive School for 24 years before joining Swansea Council's home tuition service in 2023, said the news was "the shock of my life" because he felt fine apart from the stomach issues.
Diagnosis and Treatment
Mr Owen waited three weeks for scan results, which showed the cancer had not spread. He began chemotherapy at the end of November, but during his first course, he was taken ill with fever and stomach cramps, leading to an emergency colostomy that was not successful and had to be redone. He stayed in hospital for two weeks before resuming chemotherapy, which ended in February.
He then underwent five weeks of radiotherapy at Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff. In early June, he had surgery to remove the tumour and reconnect his bowel, with a temporary ileostomy fitted.
Ongoing Recovery and Advocacy
Last Thursday, Mr Owen started a final six-week block of chemotherapy, with surgery planned for October to reverse the ileostomy. He hopes to return to normal life, saying, "Once I knew it hadn’t spread, my outlook was every day is a bonus day."
He has signed up as a volunteer for Bowel Cancer UK to talk about early detection, stressing the importance of not feeling embarrassed and getting checked if something is not right. A GoFundMe campaign has raised nearly £4,000 to support him and his family, accompanied by a short film called The Turning Tide telling his story.
